When we were very young
by Blue-eyesThropp
Summary: Even the Wicked Witches were children once. Musical, a little book maybe . The title is from Winnie the Pooh poetry collection , just saying . K because of possible adult references.
1. One Begins, Another Ends

**When we were very young...**

**Author's Note: This is a multi chapter fic about the childhood of Nessarose and Elphaba Thropp. It marks important events in mainly Nessa's life. I hope you enjoy it. I don't own Wicked, not any of the characters taken from the musical. I also don't own any song text used. Nanny had been changed to Old Nurse here, because I thought it fit better. Plus, this is mainly musical verse and Nanny was in the book. SO anyway... enjoy! **

Chapter 1, One Ends, Another Begins

It was a stormy night. The rain was pounding against the windows. The wind blew the trees to and fro. It was not a nice night to be giving birth. Melena Thropp's screaming pierced the air. Frexspar ran into her bedroom.

'She's coming!' said Melena between her yells and sobs. Frexspar yelled for the nurse. She came in with two year old Elphaba waddling after her.  
>'Out!' yelled Frex. Gently, old Nurse pushed Elphaba out of the room. The green baby howled. She knew, in an inexplicable way, that her mother was in pain and she didn't like not being there to hold her hand. She curled up into a ball outside her mother's door. At least now she could hear what was going on inside.<p>

Melena was still screaming in pain half an hour later. Though her bump had been small, this proved a terribly difficult birth.  
>"It's the milk flowers," said old nurse, "If you hadn't given her those milk flowers the baby wouldn't be so early and the birth wouldn't be so hard.'<br>'You have no right to tell me what to do,' answered Frexspar, "Nessarose will be peach, not green like her sister. She will be perfect. Milk flowers were the only way to ensure this. They were given to me by a perfectly reliable dealer.'  
>But despite his words, Frexspar was worried. Melena was giving birth at five and a half months. Was it really because of the milk flowers?<br>'Would you mind waiting outside?' asked old Nurse, " now comes the hard bit, the woman's bit. You know…' 'Of course,' said Frex. He walked outside. There was Elphaba, still curled up next to the door. He took her tiny hand in his. This was the first sign of affection he had ever shown her, and she was grateful for it.

'Papa,' she said, 'Love you!' Elphaba was clever for her age and her vocabulary was great. Her father, though happy about these words from his daughter, couldn't answer in the same way. He just couldn't love her. Elphaba rested her head against her father's knee. Her father looked the other way. If he looked upon his daughter's green face, he feared he would either break down or cry. Slowly Elphaba drifted off to sleep…

About a quarter of an hour later, old Nurse came out of Melena's room.

'You can come in now sir.' she said.

'How is she? And the baby? Is she green?' said a worried Frex. 'Your wife is asleep,' soothed old Nurse, "Come in and see the baby.' Frexspar pushed Elphaba off his knee, which caused her to bang her head on the floor. Frex strode into the bedroom. Old Nurse was holding the baby in one hand. The baby was beautiful, of a fashion. She was not green. She was more of a peach mixed with yellow colour. She was slightly wrinkled, but had wonderful brown eyes, like Melena's. Her lower body was covered with a blanket.

'Can I…?' asked Frexspar. Old Nurse handed Nessarose to Frex. He took her gently in his arms. She was very tiny. And delicate. And light. In fact, she reminded him of the porcelain dolls that his mother used to collect. He reached for the blanket covering up her lower quarters, meaning to cover up all of her. By accident, however, he pulled the whole blanket off. The nurse squealed. Frex's eyes fixed on his little girl's legs. They were wrinkled, as was the rest of the newborn, only more so. They were twisted, pointing in the wrong direction, unproportionally short and bent. They looked limp and useless, thin and weak. Just wrong. Deformed.

'How…?' It was all Frexspar could utter. He didn't understand. He had hoped for a perfect baby, 'Will she ever… is she…?' He broke out into sobs. This was not his style, but he couldn't help himself. 'I tried everything I could," said Nurse,  
>"I rubbed them, kept them warm, even tried twisting them back, but nothing worked. Everything seemed to hurt her. I swear to the Unnamed God that it was the milk flowers! She'll probably never be able to walk on her own. I'm so sorry.' said Nurse. Frexspar walked over to his wife's bed. 'Melena,' He sobbed, 'I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. I should never have… I didn't want it to be this way...' Nurse stroked his shoulder. Elphaba came running into the bedroom. Her father turned around to face her,<p>

'This is all your fault. You… you… YOU GREEN WITCH! If you weren't this obscene colour… you little brat! You are a curse over this entire family! You've deformed your poor little sister!'

'Hush, hush,' said Nurse, "I know you are distressed right now but this is not Elphaba's fault. She didn't mean to come out green!' She directed Frex over to his wife's bed. Sobbing, he took her hand and stroked it. Suddenly, something made him choke down a sob. 'Nurse,' He whispered. Nurse hastened over. 'Nurse,' he said again, more urgently this time, 'I can't feel a pulse.'


	2. First Kisses

Chapter 2, First Kisses

**Author's Note: Thanks to all reviewers and all of those who put this on their story alert. You can't possibly know how much it means to me. I hope you are enjoying the story so far. I love you guys! Blue-eyes.**

The first few years of Nessa's life were rather uneventful and, frankly, boring. Nessa hardly moved, she couldn't, only coughed, hiccupped and sometimes cried. Frex sat in a big armchair in Elphaba's and Nessa's bedroom, cradling his little girl. Elphaba was, more or less, invisible to him. On the odd occasion, he would shoot a glance in her direction, mostly filled deep and utter loathing. She tried many times to get close to him and her little sister, of whom she was, for some reason, rather afraid, but Frex just pushed her roughly aside every time she got too close. Elphaba gradually learnt that Nessarose had a higher position in the family than she did. Nessa's She had been told about Nessarose's disability from Nurse, who had believed Elphaba would not understand, but she did, and had gotten it into her head that it was her fault.

During those years, she grew away from her father and grew more attached to Nurse. They would play in the garden, Nurse would read to her, sing with her, never bothering that the two year old girl she was playing with was, in fact, green. Nurse became like the mother Elphaba had never had. Then, after Nessa's first birthday, Frexspar started work again.

'After all,' he had said, 'Business may not be kept waiting. And Nurse can do a fine job of teaching children to talk and walk, can't you Nurse?' They both fell silent. Nurse had nodded and very quietly said,

'Yes sir, she will be an intellectual genius soon.' So Nessarose was handed over, or down, to Nurse. Now Elphaba was forced to spend time with her little sister. It didn't bother her much; only she wished she could have at least a fraction of the attention Nessa was getting. Once, she had asked Nurse whether they could go outside and read together (Elphaba was learning how to read by that time) and Nurse had said they couldn't because of Nessa, who wasn't allowed out. This didn't bother Elphaba, she was accustomed to being cast aside, but Nurse wouldn't even read with her inside, she had to care for Nessa. And when Elphaba asked if she could have a book to practice with, Nurse gave her 'How to raise a child with special needs', instead of 'Moq's Magical Over the Rainbow Adventure'. No interest was shown Elphaba's needs.

One day, shortly after her third birthday, which had not been celebrated, Elphaba decided she would like to know what all the 'Nessa fuss' was about. She waddled into the kitchen, where Nurse was trying to get Nessa to say 'Frex'.

'Can I hold her?' said Elphaba. Nurse looked at her in surprise. 'Can I hold her _please__,' _she asked again. Nurse smiled and said,

'Go on then, she's light. But be careful. If you drop her, neither of us will hear the end of it from Frex.' She handed Nessa down to Elphaba. She was small. And light. Elphaba was tall for her age, and muscled. She rocked her sister back and forth, like she had seen Nurse do it. Holding her sister like this felt right. No matter how much more attention Nessa got, how much better her food and clothing was, how much more everyone loved her, Elphaba felt connected to her sister.

'Can I kiss her?' se asked? Again, Nurse looked at her in surprise. 'I want to kiss Nessa,' said Elphaba, a little louder.

'Well, I don't see why not but…' 'Father doesn't kiss her. And she needs a first kiss!' Nurse laughed. She bent down and kissed Elphaba on the forehead.

'You are a special girl, Elphaba.'

'I'm green!' she said earnestly.

'No,' said Nurse,' Not just because your green. Because your clever and caring and understanding and beautiful. Green is my favourite colour Elphaba, wear it with pride. Now go on, kiss your little sister. Give her a big, green kiss mark to be proud of!' Elphaba giggled and bent her head. She pressed her lips together and lowered them onto Nessa's cheek. She had never given anybody a kiss before. It felt nice. She stayed like this for a long time, giving her sister kiss after kiss after kiss. She loved this baby so much. She never wanted to let her go.

'I love you Nessarose,' she whispered. Nessa turned her head and opened her big, brown eyes. Elphaba drew back her head quickly, worried that her sister hadn't liked the kisses. 'Ephba.' mumbled Nessa.

'What did she just say?' asked Nurse. 'Elphab,' said Nessa,' Ephaba!' 'I think,' said Nurse, 'she's trying to say Elphaba!'


	3. Young Nessa

Chapter 3, Little Nessa

**Author's Note: So, how are you liking this? I am personally rather proud of this chapter and so are my editors. But you will have to tell me _your_ opinion by reviewing. So please do. Reviewing is good! Love to all readers and reviewers, and any potential readers and reviewers. Your Blue-eyes.**

Nessarose was now five years old, Elphaba was seven, heading on seven. For her fourth birthday Elphaba had built her sister a wheelchair. It was a very good one, made out of oak wood and good metal. Nessa had been overjoyed. She couldn't wheel herself around yet, she was too small and too weak, but Elphaba, Nurse and her father helped her wherever they could. Finally she was not confined to her bed anymore. She could move around. And all that thanks to Elphaba. She loved her sister more than anything else in the world.

On this particular day, Nessa woke up early to go outside into the garden with Elphaba for the first time ever. She sat right up in bed but was promptly thrown back. She was still not quite strong enough to support herself. She pushed herself up from the soft pillows into a sitting position and leaned heavily against the headboard. 'Elphaba,' she called out. Elphaba came to her bedside almost immediately, carrying a tray with all sorts of breakfast delicacies on it. Tea, soft white bread, apples cut to size, grapes, cheese and two small biscuits. She placed it on Nessa's lap. 'Here!' She said proudly. Obviously, she had made breakfast herself. Elphaba's motherly instincts had kicked in early, being the closest thing apart from Nurse Nessa had to a mother. The green skinned girl stroked her little sister's head. Nessa took a sip of the tea, but a lot of it spilt onto her lap. Elphaba laughed and wiped it up with a cloth. She fed her sister with grapes, because she wouldn't eat by herself. She never did. 'Elphs, eat some too, for me.' Nessa pleaded. She never liked eating on her own. Elphaba bit into a piece of bread and gave the rest to her sister. She took the soft slice in her tiny hands and bit into it. After two bites, though, she put it back onto her plate and shoved the tray away. Elphaba took the delicacies away and fetched little Nessa's clothes. She knew that Nessa didn't like being helped into her clothes, but watching her five year old sister struggle with getting undressed and dressed was too much for her, and in the end she couldn't not help her. She Nessa's put her shirt on right. Then she lifted Nessa up and out of bed, put her skirt on her and sat her in her chair. She pushed her to the stairs, then sat her on the floor, carried the chair down and then went up to get her sister. But Nessa protested saying, 'No, I want to try.' With Elphaba supporting her from behind, Nessarose slid down the first few steps on her bottom. But after those first couple of steps she got tired and let Elphaba pick her up and carry her down.

Frex was sitting at the breakfast table, reading the paper. The two girls stood, or sat, there for a while, until Nessa sneezed. The smell of coffee always made her sneeze. Frex looked up from his paper and embraced his youngest daughter without even a glance at his eldest.  
>'Good morning Father' said she. Frexspar snorted.<p>

'Humph. Good morning Fabala.' He said.

Where had that nickname come from? He vaguely remembered that Elphaba had not been able to pronounce her own name for a long time, due to her large, sharp teeth. This could be the way she had pronounced it. He shrugged aside the memory. He preferred to deny Elphaba's existence, which was why he banished every memory of her birth and infancy and only every called her by this nickname.

' Fabala,' giggled Nessarose, 'How funny! Why does Papa call you that?'

'For the same reason we call you Nessa, not Nessarose.' answered Frex. He shot a warning glance at Elphaba. Never tell the truth if the truth was either more painful or more likely to make people dislike you then lying. This was something that had always been drilled into the two girls' heads by their father.  
>'Fabala and me want to go outside.' said Nessa. She had a tendency to use the word 'Want' and 'Me' more often than any other word.<p>

'Outside where?' asked Frexspar.

'Into the garden,' said Nessa proudly.

'Don't

'We've eaten well this morning, haven't we?' she said.

'Yes!' said Nessa. 'And it was yummy. Thank you Elphs.' Frex glared at Elphaba. He wouldn't hit or yell at her in front of Nessa, but he did not like it when he couldn't control what Nessa ate and drunk, where she went, what she wore and so on. She really was his little princess.

'Well, then, have fun Nessa dear. Keep safe.' He knelt down and kissed his youngest on the cheek.

'How about Elphs?' asked the innocent little thing. 'Doesn't she get a kiss?' Her father looked at her, then at Elphaba. He had to kiss Elphaba now, whether he liked it or not because Nessa had asked him to. He slowly walked over to Elphaba and put his head next to hers.

'Take care of your sister. If anything happens, you will not be pleased with yourself.' He whispered, interrupting himself with kissy noises. Elphaba turned her head and gave him a proper kiss on the cheek. Frex turned around, banging Elphaba, possibly by accident, probably intentionally, in the stomach with his elbow, causing Elphaba to wheeze and cough and gasp for air. Nessa clapped her little hands, not hearing Elphaba's coughs.  
>'Are we going now Elphs?' she asked. Without a word, she didn't have the breath for it; Elphaba grabbed the handle bar on her sister's chair and pushed it out of the front door and into the garden.<p>

It was a sunny but cool spring morning. There was a breeze rustling the leaves. Everything smelt sweet, almost like honey. Bees and butterflies were flying around and enjoying a flower breakfast, as Elphaba described it to her sister.

'Shall I get a blanket?' she asked. Nessa just clapped her hands and giggled with delight. Elphaba ran into the house and came back with a warm cosy blanket and spread it out on the floor. She gently lifted her sister up and sat her down on it. She looked like any other girl, sitting on the blanket, clapping and smiling about a big, pink butterfly. Elphaba envied her, though she knew it was wrong. With any luck, Nessa would lead a normal life. Sitting like this, no one could see she wasn't normal. Elphaba on the other hand, could do all she liked, and she'd still be green, clever, with strange pointy teeth and an abnormal aversion to water.

'Elphs,' said Nessa, 'Sit.' Elphaba sat down next to her sister and gave her a big hug. She loved her dearly.

'Shall we read, Nessie ?' she asked. 'No,' said Nessa, 'I want to ask you something. Papa said that I have to go to school in one year.' She held up one little finger. 'What is school like?'

'Well,' said Elphaba, 'At school you learn reading, writing, art, music and so on. We will go to the same school. You can make new friends there.' Her voice trailed off. Was Nessarose ever going to find friends? Many children of her age wouldn't understand her situation. Also, she was the Artichoke's sister. No one liked the Artichoke, because she was green and far too intelligent for her age. Elphaba didn't have friends, only her sister. She was worried, but she didn't show it.

Nessa tried to put her little arms around Elphaba's shoulders, but Elphaba was sitting too far away for her to reach and she toppled over, flat on her face. Elphaba laughed and propped her up again.

'I like the sound of school.' said Nessa.

'Oh, you'll like it.' assured her sister.

They sat outside for a long time, laughing, playing clapping games, and doing things that amuse young girls. They also had a brief discussion about marriage, because Nessa declared she would like to get married and have exactly three children one day, and Elphaba said she found marriage and bonding unnecessary. She was rather a loner.

'Come on now, Nessie. Let's go back inside. Father said you shouldn't be outside for a long time.' Nessa growled and protested, insisting that she liked the garden, but Elphaba took her in her arms and sat her back in her chair. As soon as she was in, Nessa became very quiet and folded her arms across her chest. It was as if being outside and free from her chair had given her a sense of freedom and independence. Elphaba pushed her sister inside to the dining room table. Their father had obviously gone upstairs to his drawing room. Elphaba got two glasses and something to drink for her and her sister. She thought about taking some up for Frex, but she was afraid he yell because she had kissed him. When she turned around, she saw that her sister had gone to sleep with her head on the table.


	4. Preparation and Uniforms

Chapter 4, Preparation and Uniforms

**Author's Note: For anyone who has read this; I have written a glee fanfiction and several other wicked fanfictions. I am currently working on a post house crushing one. Sadly, I only have two chapters. Pleas tell me if you'd be interested in it and I will work harder. So, anyway, I'd be thrilled if you'd read my other stuff. Kisses, Blue-eyes.**

It was two days before Nessa's first day at school. Her father would have liked to have her home-schooled,but Nurse had said this was better for her. She had never had real contact with children her age. Nurse, like Nessa, always got her way. She had taken her and Elphaba to the best doctor in all of Oz. He had examined her thoroughly; checked her reflexes, her hearing, her sight, her overall health. He had listened to her chest and checked her for any aversions to foods, drinks or products. She had received from him a pair of calipers and many, many medicine bottle and he had, at long, long last, given her the all clear for school. She and Elphaba were overjoyed.

They hugged each other and talked all the way home. They were so happy that Nessa let Nurse push her and didn't insist on Elphaba doing it, a rare thing and almost an honour for Nurse. When they arrived home, Nessa threw her arms around her father's hips and buried her head into his stomach. 'I'm going to be a schoolgirl!' she said, almost sung. Frex hugged her back. 'My dear, pretty Nessarose, a schoolgirl! How wonderful!' He exclaimed. 'You can have my old uniform if you like, Nessa dear.' Suggested Elphaba,

'I'll need a new one this year. They change in third and fifth year, and then again in high school, so you can have my old one.'

Nessa nodded eagerly. She loved wearing her sister's old clothes, even though they often hung shapelessly off her tiny frame. But Frex shot Elphaba a look of disgust.

'No, Nessa shall have new things' he said, almost too harshly,

'Your things are old.' This was true. They had been her mother's. Elphaba hung her head. She hadn't meant to suggest Nessa wearing third hand clothing to her father; she just knew that father always said uniforms were a waste of money. She guessed this only applied to her.

'Yes, we'll go out and buy Elphaba a new uniform and get Nessa her first one. Then we shall go and buy school supplies and you two can help me with the groceries.' said Nurse. But again, Frex was of a different opinion.

'No, Elphaba will wear her mother's old ones and Nessa can't accompany you to the grocers. She could get infected.'

'Infected by what?' said Nurse, 'there is a greater risk of infection at school. You do realize that they don't sell food with parasites at our grocers.'  
>Frexspar shrugged. He was so protective of Nessa. If she was to go to school, though, he would have to learn to let go of his princess. He smiled and sighed, then kissed Nessa and shook Nurse's hand. He was in a strange mood, as if he was about to cry yet, at the same time, wanted to jump and punch the air, but knew he must never do this as a grown man. Elphaba supposed this was what grownups were like when their child went to school, even though when she had started school, he had rolled his eyes and declared how he wished not to pay a high tuition fee. Elphaba knew not to wait for a kiss, a hug, or even a nod, but she would have liked to be noticed by her father at least. Nessa clapped her hands eagerly. 'Come on my pretties, we must be fast or it will be dark by the time we get home.' said Nurse and the three of them, Elphaba pushing Nessa, who was still clapping her hands and humming a happy tune, Nurse marching ahead, set off to the big market which was held every week. Frex watched the three of them leave from the window.<p>

He sighed, then turned around and went upstairs into his drawing room. He had business to attend to, and nothing was more important than business.


	5. Schoolgirls

Chapter 5, Schoolgirls

**Author's Note: Oh yeah, chapter five! I introduced Nessa's weak lungs here because I would like to have her falling ill soon. But whatever. I hope you enjoy this as well, and, as always, I will ask you to review! XOXO, Blue-eyes.**

Nessa lay in bed, her beautiful, brown hair forming a halo above her head. Her uniform was folded neatly on the footboard of her bed. Nurse had ironed it three times yesterday. It was six o'clock, according to the big grandfather clock in the corner. Elphaba was still asleep. But Nessa was wide awake with fear. Today was her first day at school. Until now she had been thrilled, knowing she was healthy enough to go to school, and that her father was allowing it, but now she felt quite terrified. What if Elphaba wouldn't be allowed to take care of her? What if the classes were too hard? What if she never made friends? What if she was bullied, like Elphaba. What if, what if, what if…? She could still be asleep, but she knew this would be impossible. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the fear…

'Nessa! Nessa! Wake up!' the green hand stoked over Nessa's face, but she didn't wake up. It was already quarter to eight. Sighing, Elphaba lifted her sister out of bed. She was very light, which made this task a lot easier. She took off Nessa's nightgown and dressed her in her uniform: a simple yet pretty dress made out of navy blue fabric. It had short sleeves, white buttons down the front and a high collar. Underneath the dress, an old-white blouse was worn. There was also a pale green tie with the school emblem on it. Then came the hardest bit: the tights. Of course, putting tights on any sleeping person was difficult, but if you're trying to hold the person you're dressing in your arms and their legs are all crooked, it becomes a lot harder. After many failed attempts, though, Elphaba managed to put the tights on her sister, and in the end was very proud of it. Elphaba put Nessa's shoes on for her. Just then, Nessa woke up. She blinked twice, yawned and then slowly opened her eyes.

'Elphs… Good morning,' she said groggily.

'Good morning,' Said Elphaba, 'someone's slept in late. '

'Actually,' argued Nessa, who never let anything make her seem tired, weak or helpless,

' I was up at six today whilst you were still asleep, so I went back to sleep.' She pulled a face that let Elphaba know she wasn't lying.

'Anyway, you're up now' said she, meaning to quickly change the subject to avoid further arguments, 'Let's put on those calipers, shall we?'

The doctor had given Nessa a pair of calipers, so that they would grow straight and not twist or bend all the time. She didn't like them and they hurt her, but Nurse insisted on her wearing them.

'Maybe then you'll be able to walk on your own some day.' She had said and had stroked Nessa's head. But Nessa had backed away. She was starting to hate people who did that. Only Elphaba was allowed.

'But they look so horrendible!' she complained.

'Well, the doctor said you didn't have to wear them all day every day…' she laid down the calipers. Elphaba sat Nessa in her chair. She looked down at her legs. 'They don't look that bad.' She said. The truth was they still looked very wrong. They were still crooked, the right foot still pointed to the left, edging slightly behind the left one which didn't seem quite sure where it was going and they were still unproportionally short. But at least they weren't still tangled and were not badly bent anymore. Elphaba, who was already dressed, pushed Nessa towards the door.

She pushed her little sister to the top of the stairs and carried her down into the dining room, where she sat her on a normal dining chair, before running back upstairs and bringing down the wheelchair. When she came back down, lugging the heavy chair, unaided, one must add, she saw Nurse putting out scrambled eggs, orange juice, white bread, ham, cheese, apples and grapes out for Nessa. Her mouth started watering, but she knew not to expect the same quality of food that Nessa had. Though Nurse would have gladly given it to her, the good food was all used on father's and Nessa's breakfasts, so there would be none left for Elphaba. Even Nurse herself got better food. Elphaba sat down.

'Good Morning Frexspar.' She said. She didn't know why she had called her father by his first name, it had just slipped out. 'Good morning…Erin.' She said. She thought she should better call everyone by their first names today. It felt odd. She didn't really know why she was doing it either.

'Good morning Elphaba Thropp' said both Frex and Erin, or Nurse, at the same time. Then, it was silent. For more than ten seconds, silence ruled over the whole family. Nessa looked up from the grape she was nibbling. Elphaba looked her in the eye, Nurse looked Elphaba in the eye and Frex looked Nurse in the eye. Nessa started to giggle, Frex chuckled, Elphaba let out a nervous burst of laughter, and Nurse gave out the loudest, strangest sound, much like a sheep trying to bleat but being interrupted by the occasional 'Honk' of a foghorn. Before they knew what was happening, they were all laughing so hard, none of them could even take a breath. This was the first time Elphaba had ever felt like she had a family. A real family, with a father. Everyone was laughing, going red in the face, practically falling out of their seats. It was as though they had been united, for only a few minutes, but still united. They laughed and laughed for a few minutes, until Nessa, whose lungs had always been weak, started going very red indeed. She puffed and wheezed and coughed, but this only made her go redder, by now a deep maroon. She doubled over and fell off her chair, onto the floor, where she lay, still gasping for air. Everyone rushed to her aid. Frex fetched a glass of water, while Nurse and Elphaba pulled her up and sat her in her chair. Frex brought over the water, tipped the glass up to Nessa's mouth, and slowly poured the content in. Elphaba stroked her head and Nurse patted her back. With one very loud cough, Nessa slowly started turning her normal shade of pale peach. She breathed deeply. Once, twice, three times. Then she started breathing normally again. Everyone heaved a sigh of relief, except Nessa, who looked at everyone's face in turn and said, 'What were we laughing about again?' And again, everyone burst out into fits of laughter.

Nurse put out Elphaba's breakfast, which was surprisingly just as good as Nessa's. The two sisters sat there, trying to force food into them without laughing too much.

'I think it's time for you two to head off to school.' said Frex. Elphaba, still giggling picked up her and Nessa's plates and carried them over to the wash basin. When she turned around, she saw Frex kneeling in front of Nessa. He was holding her tiny hands in his unusually large ones, whispering softly t o her. Elphaba looked down at the items he had placed in Nessa's lap; a peacock feather quill, two lead pencils, a beautiful calligraphy pen and a pretty little notebook with her initials on it. Her stomach churned, her mouth became unusually dry and her nose tingled. He was giving Nessa her 'first day at school gift'. He really did spoil her rotten. On Elphaba's first day, she had received an apple, slightly bruised, and one pencil, which she needed anyway. She didn't want to be spoiled, favoured or doted upon, she didn't even need love, or at least not much of it, but she did long noticed or appreciated by her father. She knew it was wrong, but she was jealous of Nessa. Jealous that she wasn't green, that everyone loved her so much, and that she was so pretty. But she knew not to let it show. Frex loved Nessa too much. Poor, sick, sweet Nessa. Elphaba shrugged the thought aside. It was wrong to feel this was, especially on Nessa's first day at school. She walked slowly over to Nessa and Frexspar. They were hugging and kissing goodbye, and Nessa was almost in tears.

'_What a shameless mask. She doesn't really mean it.' _though Elphaba_, 'Yesterday she was so happy to be going and now this. Really!' _She stepped behind and took control of her sister's chair. Nessa turned around and blew Frex a kiss,

'Goodbye Papa!' she said.

'Goodbye Frexspar' mumbled Elphaba.

'Take care of your sister. And try to be a good role model for her. Good bye Nessarose, my dear, I know you'll be good!' he called. Almost a little too roughly, Elphaba pulled open the front door and pushed her sister outside. They walked, or rolled, for a while in silence. Nessa folded her little hands in her lap and kept her eyes pointed in the direction of the floor while Elphaba looked directly over her head and imagined what it would be like to punch the spoiled brat out of it.

'Elphs,' said Nessa.

'What?' she grumbled.

'Elphs,' said Nessa again, as if Elphaba hadn't heard her the first time, 'I only need one pencil. And I know yours is almost done for, so do you want my second one? I mean, they're very large and I won't need a second for a long time. It's just an idea; you don't have to take it I just thought…'

Elphaba shushed her, 'It is a very kind thought, but if anything, I'd rather we share the pencil. It's a very good one and I wouldn't want to take it from you.'

With these words, Elphaba forgot her previous attack of jealousy, for who could be angry at such a dear little girl who wanted to share her things with her underprivileged sister. They both fell silent again, until Nessa broke it once more,

'Elphaba how is school? Is it hard there? Are the teachers nasty?' Elphaba giggled. She found it rather sweet, how naïve and unknowing Nessa was.

'School is fine, as long as you get along with the other children. Try to make friends, not enemies, Nessa and you'll be just fine. The lessons are easy enough, at least for me. And they will be for you too, because you're a bright little button. Some of the teachers are nice, but some aren't. You should try to steer clear of Madame Blogis though. She's the secretary, but she teaches most of the first years. Nobody likes her. There are also Animal teachers. My favourite is Professor Dyr. She's a Boar. There you go. Happy?'

'Yes,' said Nessa. She couldn't help noticing that Elphaba didn't sound all to convinced about school. And that she sounded awfully adult for an eight year old.  
>By this time, they had reached the school. There were many people standing outside in little groups. Elphaba counted them put for Nessa. There was the popular clique, consisting of Ginny Attkins, Sunshine-Sho and Patty, three very pretty girls, but all maddeningly annoying. There was the Well Read Group, which were basically a group of Munchkins and one Winkie who thought books were Gods and Goddesses and all they ever said came out of some book or another. The Misfit Animals was a group with only three members, the only three Animal students. Their names were Jorda, a beautiful Cat, Flint, a Boar and Rinna, a Bear. Elphaba walked towards the three them. They had their heads together and seemed deep in conversation, but Jorda looked up as soon as she heard Nessa's chair and Elphaba's slow steps approaching. Being a cat, she had and amazing sense of hearing.<p>

'Elphaba,' she said. Her voice was high, and she stroked her little whiskers with a beautifully manicured paw. 'How are you my dear? Oh, and who's this? Is this your sister? My, she looks nothing like you.' She extended her paw to Nessa, who didn't take it. Elphaba nudged her ribs. She didn't mean for it to be hard, but Nessa cried out in pain. Still, it made her take the Cat's hand. 'And what would your name be, may I ask?' Jorda carried on.

'It… its Ne…Nessa-r-rose.' said she. 'I'm Jorda. I trust your sister has told you about me?' Instead of an answer, Nessa just looked speechlessly up at the Cat and Elphaba shook her head.

'I'm sorry,' she said, 'I must have forgotten Nessa, Jorda is in her fifth year. It was her job to show me around when I was new here.'

'Yes,' agreed Jorda, 'though I had to fight for the job. We were good friends, your sister and I, but they don't often give jobs to Animals. They don't like us very much, and there are only three of us at this school. And, Elphaba, I'm in my sixth year now. I'll be leaving next year.' Elphaba gulped, but only Nessa heard it for the school bell was ringing just then. 'I'll see you two around the school, I hope!' called Jorda over her shoulder. She was running to catch up with Flint and Rinna, who had fled as soon as Elphaba had started talking to them. With a sigh, Elphaba turned her sister's chair around and pushed her towards the steps leading up to the main door.

'The other two don't like you, do they?' asked Nessa.

'No,' said Elphaba, 'no one apart from Jorda does. To everyone else I'm just the Artichoke.'

'I like you,' said Nessa, 'and I think Artichokes are yummy. Will you miss her when she goes?'

'Yes,' said Elphaba simply, 'I will.' They had reached the steps, but of course, Nessa could not climb them on her own, and if Elphaba carried her up and then went back down to fetch the chair, like they did at home, she would have to leave Nessa alone at the top of the stairs in the middle of a stampede, where she was bound to get hurt. She signalled to a young Munchkin, about a year younger than her. He looked, and was about to react, but then very quickly turned around again. Elphaba signalled to him again, this time giving a little whistle and calling out,

'Mitch!' Reluctantly, Mitch came over. He hoped his friends wouldn't see him helping the Artichoke, but he was too afraid to not. Nearly everyone was afraid of the Artichoke.

'Mitch, I need some help getting my sister up these steps. Could you…?' Mitch looked at Nessa. The first thing that caught his eye was, of course her legs, which were very crooked. She was thinking that she had better wear her callipers from now on. But Mitch's eyes only lingered for a moment on her legs. They moved right up to her face. Their eyes met. His eyes were pale green, almost mint, where as her eyes were a deep, rich shade of hazel, almost like her hair. She had it up in a high ponytail, but he could still see the soft waves in it. He soaked up every little detail of Nessarose that he could. He was only seven, but still, he was experiencing the strangest sensations he had ever experienced. It started in his nose. It started to tingle and itch. His mouth began to water and then become very dry and then the saliva came rushing in again. It was like flow and ebb. There seemed to be a big lump in his throat that got bigger and bigger, whilst travelling right down into the pit of his stomach, where he could by now feel his heart thumping. This girl, a year younger than him and crippled though she was, was turning his head upside down, plainly said making him fall in love with her. He wondered whether the feeling was mutual.

'Of course… help; name…my name is Mitch Serpico, yours?' he stammered.

'Nessarose' answered Nessa, quietly and timidly, 'Mitch sounds like a very nice name.' She felt her face flushing red.

'So does Nessarose.' said Mitch. Elphaba gave a loud cough, which drew Mitch's attention back to the task in hand: getting Nessa up the stairs. After an uncomfortable silence, in which Mitch and Elphaba ran around Nessa's chair, choosing which side to lift, Mitch decided to take the front, so he could look right into Nessa's beautiful eyes. Plus it was lighter and easier to lift, whereas the back had the big wheels. The two lifted Nessa's chair and carried her up the stairs.

Eleven steps later, Mitch and Elphaba set Nessa's chair on firm ground.

'Thank you Mitch.' said Nessa timidly. She hated asking people for help, and hated it even more when she had to thank them for it. She thought it made her seem very helpless. Mitch nodded and stretched out his hand to her. Nessa took it and shook it.

'It was a pleasure,' said Mitch, 'I hope to see you around.'

'So do I.' said Nessa, but quickly flushed red. It had sounded like she was looking forward to seeing herself. And now she was thinking about mirrors. Though she knew he couldn't, she was deeply worried that Mitch could read her thoughts. Mitch nodded, turned around and briskly walked into the building. Nessa looked down into her lap, where she had folded her pretty little hands. Elphaba stroked her shoulder and gave a little consoling sigh. But Nessa didn't need it. Mitch's hand had brushed her lap. Even though it could well have been an accident, and even though she was only six and a half, she was Nessa was rather mature for her age (playing with dolls and occasional fits of crying did not come onto the equation here) and knew that this must mean something.


	6. The Head and the Secretary

Chapter 6, The Head and the Secretary

**Author's Note: I guess the Carica and Blogis are a little bit cliché, but does that matter. Reviews guys, review as though the world depended on it. Criticism is welcome! Blue-eyes. **

Elphaba pushed her sister's wheelchair to the headmistress' office. She knocked once, twice, three times. Nobody answered. She knocked another two times. They both heard footsteps behind the door. Only Elphaba could tell be the steps who it was. The slow stomp, the click of heels, the deep breathing. It could only be Madame Blogis. The door knob turned slowly. The door opened. On the other side of it stood a lady who could easily have been called beautiful, if perhaps not so sharp featured. She had bright red hair which was tied into a high ponytail and pale blue eyes. Her lips were a perfect heart. Her cheek bones were high and clearly visible. She had clear, pale skin. She was very thin and was wearing a bright blue dress and, of course, amazingly high heels. In fact, she was not at all how Nessa had imagined her, nor did she fit the slow stomp, and heavy breathing she had heard. But as Elphaba knelt down, pretending to tie her shoe, she whispered, 'Blogis,' so Nessa knew.

Madame Blogis stomped behind Nessa's chair and pushed her in.

'Minerva,' she bellowed. For such a pretty lady, she had an awfully deep, barking voice and the strangest walk. Nessa knew already that she didn't like her. She looked over her shoulder to see Elphaba trying to take control of the wheelchair.

'The governor's daughter is here. And her sister's also there.' Madame Blogis carried on. Out of the adjoining room came another lady. Elphaba looked out of the window so as not to burst out laughing, and Nessa chewed her knuckle. These two ladies should never have been allowed to stand in one room together. One, Madame Blogis, unusually beautiful, strict looking, straight and tall and the other, Minerva Carica, the headmistress, had bright blonde hair and dark brown eyes. She was very small and short limbed, slightly broader built, but still relatively normal weight. She was wearing a pink blouse under a bright pink jacket and a soft pink skirt. She also had on cotton pink socks and bright orange Mary Janes. She seemed to be the sort of person you would not want to meet, as she was so out of the ordinary and but could become friends with if you attended to or worked at her school. Madame Blogis, however, made the impression of someone you would not want to meet or stand too close to, for fear she would yell at you or, on a good day, try to hit and, on a bad day, bite you.  
>The two of them together in one room, both so strange in different ways made even the most frightening or saddest of moments feel comic. Both Nessa and Elphaba were still trying to keep down their fits of laughter when Mrs. Carica started to speak. She had a very high, quiet voice, almost a whisper.<p>

'Miss Nessarose, we are so happy that you have joined our school. I'm sure you will make wonderful friends here. In these rooms, you will find the great joy of wisdom and learning. We hope you use it well.'  
>Being only six, Nessa didn't understand much of what the headmistress meant, but she got the basic picture. It didn't make it much easier that she had to strain her ears to listen to the mouse sneak of a voice this woman had.<p>

'Your father has made it clear to us how much your safety means to him, so we have adjusted to your special needs…' Nessa winced. She had heard people use this term before. The very same people had called her tragically beautiful, poor, cri… what was the word again? Nessa had forgotten. It sounded rather complicated, almost like a tongue twister. Anyway, she knew that this teacher was referring to her being unable to walk and did not like it one bit. Nessa realized that she should really be listening to what Mrs. Carica was saying, and that not listening would probably get her into trouble. So she drew her attention back to the headmistress.  
>'…your special needs and have hired someone to take care of you for your time here at school. She will walk you to all your classes and make sure your safe. You will be able to turn to her whenever you need something. She is a little older than you, so she knows this school very well. Shall I call her in?' Nessa looked at Elphaba, who looked at Nessa first, surprised, then looked at Mrs. Carica, disgusted. She was here. Did really no one ever notice her? Unless… The girl came in.<p>

Nessa's caretaker was a fourth year girl. She was a little smaller than Elphaba, and slimmer built, but she had very good muscles. Her name was Eilish McDibben. She was Munchikn from the Upper Appkins. And Elphaba did not, would not, and could not trust her with her little sister.

'But, Miss, I've always taken care of Nessa. Did father not say that I should?'  
>She immediately regretted saying this. If he had, why would this stranger be in here, already standing in front of Nessa, shaking her hand with a large, fake smile on her face? 'I mean,' Elphaba corrected herself, 'I know just what to do. I can wheel her around. I know what medicine to give her.'<p>

'I'm sorry,' said Mrs. Carica, 'Sir Thropp especially requested Eilish. He met her a few weeks ago and thinks she is perfect to take care of your sister.' She turned to Eilish and Nessa, 'Well, Miss Nessarose, I think Eilish will be able to tell you anything else you may want to know about our school. She is one of our prize students. Thank you Eilish. That will be it for now. You may take Nessarose to her next class. I believe it is history. Good bye you two.' Eilish stepped behind Nessa's chair. Elphaba grabbed Eilish's shoulder. Eilish pushed her away. Elphaba clawed at Eilish. Madame Blogis and Mrs. Carica held Elphaba back. Nessarose didn't even notice what was going on behind her. The door closed. Elphaba was left in the office, with the head, the secretary but without her sister.

Madame Blogis' nostrils flared.

'Can't you control yourself, young lady?' she fumed, 'What in Oz's name did you think you were doing? Poor Eilish! Being attacked by a raging lunatic. You really are a wicked little with Miss Thropp, you are!' Elphaba started shaking. Why did everyone keep calling her that? She wasn't a witch. She loved her sister and she wanted her to be safe, that was all.

'Fliss, calm yourself. She is not a witch. Merely a girl who has only her sister's neesd and interests at heart. But Elphaba, why did you try to attack Eilish. She is only doing her job. Your sister will be in good hands with her.' Mrs. Carica was always the calmer of the two halves, the lesser of two evils. Madame Blogis was the fiery one, the one who loved punishment more than anything. Together, they really were a good team, though rumour had it they only pretended to like each other. Secretly, they wrote hate mails to each other and set up booby traps. Elphaba didn't believe it. But she let people believe what they wanted and kept out. Just like she was now letting Mrs. Carica and Madame Blogis believe that she had attacked Eilish for a sadistic, mad reason. She glared at the two. No matter what Mrs. Carica had said to calm Madame Blogis down, Elphaba couldn't help noticing that she had also used the word 'attack', and was so equally angry at her and the secretary. So she just stood there glaring at the two of them for a few seconds, then loosened her face muscles, turned around on her heel and marched out of the door, closing it loudly behind her.  
>As she walked, gaited, actually, back to her class room, she could only think of two things. Was Nessarose alright and, 'Madame Blogis name is <em>Fliss<em>?'


	7. Lessons

Chapter 7, Lessons

**Author's Note: This chapter may contain accidents, bullying and confusion. Taken from my own experiences. Pleas review everyon, I'm rather proud of this chapter (that sounded really arrogant, sorry). Enjoy! Peace, Blue-eyes.**

In fact, Nessarose was not quite alright. She was sitting in history class, in the middle of the room. She felt stupid, and everyone was staring at her. She wondered where Elphaba was, and wished she were there with her.

_Eilish was pushing Nessa down the long corridor. An uncomfortable silence reigned over the pair. Nessa couldn't bring herself to talk. She was not good with new people, or people in general, because she had only ever had Nurse, Elphaba and sometimes Frexspar to talk to. Eilish was not sure how to address a girl in a wheelchair. What would happen if she said something wrong? So, she pushed Nessa in silence. Eventually, not able to take the silence anymore, Eilish spoke,_

_ 'So what was the Artichoke doing in there with you? Was she in trouble?' Nessa couldn't believe what Eilish had just said. Had she heard glee in her voice on the word trouble? Was she another of Elphaba's enemies? _

_'Well, we came together. She was… I mean…she is my sister.' _

_'She's your older sister? Well, I do feel sorry for you. Can I ask you something? How is she at home?' Nessa thought about it. Loving, caring, pandered to her every need, never got jealous of her if Frex gave her something and gave Elphaba less than nothing, always helped her. That was Elphaba. But how should she say that in front of someone who called Elphaba 'The Artichoke'. _

_'She's lovely. She always takes care of me. So she didn't want anyone else doing it. I love her, because she's my big sister. She's green, but I love her.' Eilish sniggered. Then, silence reigned over the couple once more._

_'Well, the Green Oddity obviously hasn't told little cripple here about me. Well, she will know me soon. They are both so strange. I don't like either of them.' Eilish thought. By then, they had reached their classroom. Eilish roughly pulled open the door and pushed Nessa inside .The history teacher was in the middle of a sentence, but looked up, or more like down, from the chalk board when the two came in. The Owl twooted. _

_'Hello Miss McDibben. Why so late?' Eilish snorted at him. Nessa was staring to like this girl less and less. _

_'Professor Twane, I was picking up this girl from Mrs. Carica's office. She is new here. Her name is Nessarose Thropp.' 'Yes,' twooted the owl, whose name, Nessa had picked up, was Professor Twane, _

_'But that doesn't change the fact that your history lesson was two hours ago. Please return to your geography class now.' He gave her a stern look through his big, yellow eyes and Eilish backed away, out of the door. He turned his attention back to the class. 'So, as we all have finally figured out, Prince Pyrino of Winkie Country was, in fact, not so much the King and Queen's son as more the Queen's and the stable boy's. A classic story, actually, a cliché, but fascinating that it should happen in real life, don't you think, class? Thank you so much, Mister Zachary Cummins, for asking that highly intelligent question about how exactly the baby was conceived. Shouldn't you know that, being in your fifth year? Anyway, back to our actual theme, the history of The Free State of Munchkinland and how it actually became free. Please turn to page seventy-five in your book and read until…' He looked up from the book that was perched precariously on the top the chalk board in front of him. Nessarose had given a little cough. _

_'Yes, my dear, what is it?' asked professor Twane. He gave Nessa a rather mixed look. It seemed to say, _

_'Why in the unnamed God's name would you interrupt me in the middle of a lesson. Sit down…or…wheel yourself to your place young lady,' and,'Oh dear are you alright? I hope that's not a cough you're developing. Did you want something from me?' Nessa blushed. The eyes of all the fifth years were fixed on her. _

_'I'm sorry, did I catch you say fifth year? I'm in year one.' She said quietly. The class sniggered and Nessa put her face in her hands. Eilish had known that, she could sense it. She had pushed her to the wrong classroom on purpose, to embarrass her. And she was. She felt so awful. The class now thought she was a child. Professor Twane eyed her, then realized she was crying and flew down and perched in front of her. _

_'Dear, dear,' he said, 'you do look grown up for your age.' Nessa looked at him through bleary eyes. Had he just complemented her? 'Yes, as a matter of fact, I would have placed you in your fourth year. Well, my dear, if it is true that you are only in your first year, you should be in the next room to the right. Miss McDibben obviously made a mistake. Well, I will see you soon I hope. You will find the way alright, won't you?' Nessa shot him a look of disgust. Was that a joke about her and her sense of direction at the end? She gripped the wheels to her chair. A wave of shock came over her, as she realized that she didn't know how to wheel herself. Her sister had always done it for her. She figured that pushing the wheels would be a good idea, but they were so hard to push. She tried, but she could only move forward a little bit, not nearly enough to get anywhere at even a slow pace, let alone turn around. She decided that she must try again, regardless of what the other children would think of her if she didn't manage. Anything was better than sitting here with easily twenty odd children staring at you, wondering when or if you'll ever move. _

_She gripped the wheels even tighter and gave them another push, but only succeeding in catapulting herself out of her chair and on to the floor. The whole room gave a hearty laugh, and Nessarose sobbed. A girl sitting in the front row ran over to her and put her arm around Nessa, intending to hug her or perhaps to lift her, but did not do a good job of either, and Nessa pushed her away. _

_'No,' she said, 'don't help me.' The older girl was taken aback. She had not meant this as an insult or so as to show everyone how helpless this girl was. She had genuinely meant in as a comfort gesture. Nessarose, realizing this, quickly changed her words into,_

_ 'I mean, I think I'll be fine. Thank you, though.' She reached behind her and grabbed the armrests of her chair, then pulled her little body up a few inches, but pushed the chair back against the door, fell back down and, to top all the previous disasters, hit her head on the floor, hard. The older girl rushed to her side again, put her arm back around the younger one and, this time, and lifted her right up off the floor. She held her, rather awkwardly, under the arms, and whispered, _

_'You are light. And accident-prone.' She gave Nessa a wink, and then eased her back into her chair. _

_'I think, professor Twane, I shall escort this young lady to the next room, if you will allow it, that is.' Instead of an answer, professor Twane nodded at the girl, who pushed Nessa outside. _

_'Formal talking will always work with old Twane, remember that.' She said to Nessa. Nessa laughed, and from that moment on, they were friends. 'I'm Merr, be the way.' said Merr. She opened the door they had reached. _

_'Farewell,' she said, 'I hope to be seeing you around soon,' she gave Nessa a push, so that she rolled right into the classroom, winked at her and left.  
>Nessa looked around the room. She was experiencing what was called a déjà vu. About twenty children were staring at her…or her legs, she could not quite make out. An Eagle flew from the back of the classroom and perched on the desk. This shocked Nessa, until she realized that it was the teacher. <em>

_'Hello dearie. You must be Nessarose Thropp, the governor's daughter.' said the Eagle. All Nessa could do was nod. So many animals, so many teachers addressing her with her full name, it was too much for her six year old mind to handle. 'Well then, I welcome you with all my heart. I am Miss Erelis you're history teacher. Pray, why are you so late?' _

_'Wrong class…Eilish Mc…something' said Nessa. She was feeling rather uncomfortable. _

_'Well, it doesn't matter. Why don't you sit… oh dear, I must apologize, we meant to leave a seat free for you but they all seem to be taken. Well, we shall send in an order for a new desk for you, shall we, dear? For now, why don't you just stay put where you are?'_

_ What should Nessa have done? Wheel herself away? Never again! Stand up and run away? Impossible, sadly. She just gave a short nod, and stayed put. Miss Erelis flew back to the desk. _

_'Class, please finish the worksheet I just handed out, and id there is some time at the end of the lesson, we might compare and correct it. You have ten more minutes.' Nessa hadn't received a worksheet, and the teacher didn't give her one, so she just sat there, her head cupped in her hands, sobbing silently. She hardly listened to the lesson. And so she sat there, in her chair, thinking only of Elphaba, Mitch and how Eilish had dropped her off in the wrong room. And of going home.  
><em>

Finally, the lesson was over, and Eilish McDibben came to pick up Nessarose and take her to her next lesson, Mathematics. But Nessa could not trust her. All the way to her next classroom, she said not a word, but hunched up her shoulders until they hurt and pressed her palms against her dud knees, which, by now, she detested.


	8. Young Lovers

Chapter 8, Young Lovers

**Author' Note: Have you enjoyed this so far? Thanks to all reviewers and readers etc. You are my stars. I have two editors, my Mum and my Best friend, both of them had different opinion of the chapters. One editor thinks many are unrealistic, one thinks...well, the opposite. So I guess you will have to make up your own mind and review. And, even with two whole editors, it doesn't mean I am perfect. If you find any mistakes, inform me, because I am mistake blind. Hugs and butterfly kisses, Blue-eyes.**

Elphaba was sitting in Physical Education. That was all she ever did. Sit and wait for the bell to ring. They were exercising in groups. It was nothing Elphaba couldn't do. She was strong, well built and even able to help other children. But no one wanted to work with her. So, Elphaba sat around, thinking. She was worrying, too, about Nessarose. The teacher had not told her to get up and join in, Elphaba doubted that the teacher even knew who she was, let alone where she was and what she was doing, so she just sat there, deep in her thoughts. The bell rang. Finally! Elphaba ran to the first year's mathematics room to pick up Nessarose. If Eilish thought she could take over Nessa between lessons, she could still not take her away from Elphaba at break time. She knocked on the door, but let herself in. She saw Nessa sitting all alone at a lone desk. It was a pitiful sight, and Elphaba ran over to greet her little sister. Nessa hugged the green girl tightly and buried her head in Elphaba's shoulder.

'Oh, Nessa, what is it?'

'Eilish is perfectly horrible.' whined Nessa 'and I flung myself on the floor in front of the fifth years and then they all laughed and I tried to… but then I couldn't…and I was in the wrong class and then in the right one and everyone thinks I'm strange because I'm in this chair and then there was no seat and…oh Elphaba, school is perfectly awful!'

Although Elphaba had only understood about half of what Nessa had tried to tell her, she took her little sister's head in her hands and lifted her chin up. This is what Nurse had always done when either of them had felt unhappy.

'Nessarose Thropp, no one thinks you're strange. Maybe you have had a bad day, but by tomorrow everything will be different and you will have lots of friends. I know about Eilish, she is mean, but don't let that bother you. If she won't be nice, tell a teacher. And I don't know if you remember when you were three and someone was mean to you, Nurse said that you are the way you are and it can't be helped. She said you should look the in the eye and say 'So what? I'm still twice the person you are! Alright?'

Nessarose sniffed. Of course it wasn't alright, nor was she. But Elphaba and her grown up manner never ceased to make Nessa feel just a little bit better so she let Elphaba help her put her coat on and push her outside into the school yard. The sight that greeted her shocked her. Bricks: nothing but a brick yard with hopscotch patterns and a ballgames field, both of which were no great joy to Nessa. There were also a few benches and a lone, wooden swing in the far right corner. And a sandpit in the far left, that wasn't even big enough to harbour a large bucket and spade. So, Elphaba pushed Nessa next to a bench and sat down next to her.

'So, how was your day?' she asked.

'I already said,' answered Nessa, 'bad!' 'But it can't have been all bad, can it?' asked Elphaba. She feared the worst. Would her sister be as unpopular and bullied as her?

'Well,' said Nessa, 'The lessons are fun and easy. And I found something out…' she didn't know how to finish this sentence. How should she tell Elphaba that she didn't want to be pushed anymore? It would sound ungrateful, no matter how it was meant. '… That I can't wheel myself. And…well, shouldn't I be able to? You know, we…I …' she still couldn't finish this ungrateful sounding sentence. But Elphaba nodded.

'Shall we practice at home?.' Nessa smiled. Her sister was so lovely, so understanding. Nessarose loved her, and she hated Eilish. She wished Elphaba could take of her at school. The bell rang for the next lesson and Elphaba reluctantly pushed Nessa indoors. It was fortunate that the door to the school yard was on one level with the ground, or Elphaba would have had to ask for help again. Just then, Mitch, running into his classroom, passed the two of them. 'Mitch!' Nessa called out, but Mitch didn't hear. Again, Elphaba stroked Nessa's shoulder and gave another consoling sigh. Then she pushed Nessarose to her classroom.

'The young lovers.' Elphaba chuckled.

'You sound like father. I bet he'd say something like that.' giggled Nessa. Elphaba hugged her sister and left. As soon as she closed the door, Nessa wondered if Elphaba knew what love really was, and if she had ever in fact been in love? But the lesson started just then, and she thought about it no more.


	9. The Wizard and I

Chapter 9, The Wizard and I

**Author's Note: Alright, I admit, I took from the musical. Argh, I'm angry at myself for that. This chapter is more or less a bridge to the next bit of my story. Read and review. Thank you, Blue-eyes.**

Nessa and Elphaba did practice that evening. Elphaba placed a lot of cushions on the floor, and Nessa pushed and pushed at the wheels on her chair. It was hard and heavy work, and by the end of the day, she could only wheel herself a few feet, but she was immensely proud when Elphaba lifted her of the floor (she was very tired and unable to do anything but catapult herself to the floor by then) and helped he into her nightclothes. She lay there in her extra large bed; her head snuggled into the fluffy pillows and thought. Elphaba, for her part, was curled up on her bed, which was not soft, to be sure, and read, by candlelight.

'Fabala,' whispered Nessa, 'Can you come over here and lie with me tonight.'

'No,' said Elphaba, rather too directly, 'You need your bed for yourself.'

'Please,' said Nessa, 'Your bed is so hard, and mine is soft and cuddly and I want to lie with you.' Elphaba knew there was no point in arguing, so she kicked the covers off herself and swung her green legs over the side of her bed. Nessa noticed how long her sister's legs were, and how small the bed was. She was sure it was too short for Elphaba. Elphaba tiptoed over to her little sister's bed and threw aside the covers.

'Oh, how cold it is!' cried Nessa. She was not used to being lightly or uncovered. It didn't matter anymore to Elphaba. The only cover that she had was an old blanket, but she loved it because it was the one that had been on her mother's bed when Nessa was conceived. She got into the soft bed and threw the covers over herself and her sister. She had never lain in such a soft bed. It was so comfortable, even if her back did sink rather far into the feather mattress. She wished she had a soft bed too, but two such beds would have been expensive, and Nessa needed one, Frexspar had once said, for her legs, but Elphaba didn't believe him. Hard beds were more supporting. But it was wrong to envy others.

'Oh, Elphaba, your feet are freezing!' exclaimed little Nessarose.

'Are they really?' asked Elphaba. She didn't feel the cold by now, she was so used to it. She hadn't ever been so sensitive to temperature really. For her there was only boiling and freezing, and the rest she just didn't notice.

'Well,' she said, 'At least your little feet are warm my dear. I don't mind about being cold.' But Nessa wouldn't give in. She tugged at Elphaba's thighs, until her green legs were lying across Nessa's white ones. Then Nessa sat up in bed and started rubbing Elphaba's feet, blowing on them, trying to keep them warm. Elphaba bit her lip so as not to cry, for her father had told her that it showed weakness, and she was not weak. If this wasn't pure love, what was?

'Thank you Nessa, my feet are warm now.' Said Elphaba, and tucked her feet into the warm duvet again. Nessa flopped back down onto the bed. She played for a while with Elphaba's hair, as six year olds like to do.

'Fabala,' she said, 'Father hasn't got hair. And mine is brown. How come is yours black?' Elphaba chuckled.

'I think grandmother's hair was black. And Mama's hair was deep brown. And father… I don't know if he ever had hair.' Nessa giggled.

'What was Mama like?' she asked, 'Was she nice? Was she pretty? I bet she was clever.' Elphaba could hardly remember. Although she could remember more of her early childhood and even infancy than anyone else in Oz, she could not quite remember her mother. She had seen a portrait of Melena Thropp and Frexspar Priestly's wedding hung in the landing, so she knew her mother was pretty, but the last face of her mother that Elphaba could remember was a sweaty one, with hair stuck to her forehead and neck, and it was even remarkable that she could remember this.

As to her mother's intelligence, she knew little. She had read a poem written by her mother and father to their unborn daughter several years ago. They had written in while Melena was pregnant with Elphaba, and then hidden it until Nessarose was born. But, as Melena had not survived the birth and Frexspar could not remember where they had hidden it, Nessarose had never received the poem explaining their undying, everlasting love for their beautiful girl. Elphaba remembered that this poem had sounded complicated, so from this she drew the conclusion that, yes, Melena Thropp had indeed been intelligent.

But Nessa's first question, and the last one that Elphaba thought of, she could not answer with any certainty. She was sure that her mother had been a wonderful person, the way everyone that had ever known her talked about her, but she had tried to deny Elphaba's existence and Elphaba wasn't sure whether Melena had ever loved her, since the only woman she could remember being around was old Nurse. She decided, though, that she would paint Nessa a glorified picture of her mother, just to make her happy.

'She was wonderful.' said Elphaba plainly. She worried that this would not be enough for Nessa, but the young girl nodded and straightened her nightgown.

'Speaking of wonderful,' said Nessa, 'Do you believe in the Wizard?' Elphaba thought for a while.

'Yes,' she said, 'I do; very much.'

'What would you ask him for?' 'I think…' Elphaba wasn't sure how to finish the sentence. To degreenify her? To make Frexspar love her? To resurrect Melena? To help Nessarose walk?

'I think I would like him to give everyone equal rights.' Nessarose sighed, exasperated. She knew what her sister wanted, deep down inside, though she knew that Elphaba would never admit it. But Nessarose knew that Elphaba would ask to be degreenified.

'Do you think we'll ever meet him?' asked Nessarose. Elphaba laughed. No one had ever met the Wizard, and no one ever would.

'No,' said Elphaba. Nessa nuzzled her nose into Elphaba's long, raven hair. It smelled like cinnamon, though Nessa did not know why.

'I love you Elphaba.' said the youngest Thropp.

'I love you too,' said the eldest. She gripped. Nessa's hand tightly and kissed her sister on the forehead. She had expected the kiss to be returned, but it wasn't, for Nessa had already drifted off into sleep. She lay there peacefully, her dark hair spread in an almost perfect circle around her head, her molten chocolate eyes closed, her breathing deep and tranquil.

Elphaba could not sleep. She lay awake thinking. Thinking about the Wizard of Oz. It was as if her conversation with Nessa had changed something within her. She wanted to see the Wizard. She knew what she would ask him for. As she closed her eyes and tried to control her breaths, she imagined meeting the Wizard.

_'Elphaba, I know what you want. I know why you have come, and I can help you. Folks_ _here in Oz are, to an absurd degree, fixated on your verdigris, aren't they? So would it be alright by you if I degreenify_ _you?'_

_Yes_, thought Elphaba, _it would._


	10. Tickles

Chapter, 10 Tickles

**Author's Note: Woohoo, chapter ten! I must apologize for the plagiarism issue with Maeline. I assure you that it was nothing and that I am currently trying to make a deal with Maeline. I hope you can still enjoy my story. Have fun with chapter ten and more to come. Again, WOOHOO! Love all readers and reviewers. Love, Blue-eyes.**

The rest of Nessarose' school week passed rather uneventfully. Apart from a new desk that had been especially made for her arriving, not much happened until the end of the week. As Elphaba received a lot of homework and Nessa never had any, she spent her afternoons practicing wheeling herself. By Thursday evening, she had managed it once down the long hallway at the top of the stairs. Elphaba was proud of her little sister, but it did fill her with sadness to watch her six year old sister clap her hands at being able to use her own wheelchair correctly. It wasn't meant to be this way. She should be clapping about winning a race or scoring most points at the long jump competition at school. But this was not right. And Elphaba still blamed herself.

Elphaba did not know if Nessa was clairvoyant, but at certain moments, when Elphaba was thinking about her sister, or when she was just sad, Nessa would hug her and express her love in three little words, providing Elphaba was close enough for Nessa to reach out to. Such was this moment, as Elphaba was overcome with guilt and sadness and tried to find a glimmer of happiness for her sister's achievement, Nessa rolled up behind her and wrapped her thin little arms around Elphaba's waist, which was the only region of her that Nessa could reach, and nuzzled her little nose into the green girl's black jumper. Elphaba smiled.

'Come on Nessa, time for bed.' Nessa protested when her sister tried to lift her, but Elphaba, tall, strong and muscled eventually won the fight, so Nessarose gave in and let herself be undressed, dressed and tucked into bed by her older sister.

Elphaba sat on the side of the soft bed and stroked Nessa's hand. She felt the raw skin, the calluses and the splinters on her sister's hands from the wheels. She was not practiced in first aid, so she said nothing, but made a mental note to make her sister some gloves to protect her delicate hands. 'I'm very proud of you,' said Elphaba, and really she was. She let her hand glide up Nessa's arm, up to her shoulder, and cupped her face in her hand. She had never done this before, and Nessarose laughed.

'That tickles!' she said between her giggles. Elphaba, seizing the chance, now knowing that her sister was ticklish, pulled the cover off her sister and stated tickling her, lightly at first, and only on the tummy or under the arms, but then ever stronger, reaching her sister's wrists, neck ears and eventually, feet. Nessarose laughed and squealed and begged her sister to stop, only because she was laughing so much, but Frexspar Thropp must have heard this, for he was soon upstairs, pulling Elphaba off the bed and yelling,

'You sadistic creature! Stop hurting your little sister? Haven't you caused her enough harm already? You witch! You witch!'

All Nessarose's begging and attempts of explanation failed, and were drowned by her father's screaming and the sounds of slaps, obviously on Elphaba's green cheeks. But the awful scene stopped abruptly, and Nessarose's last words,

'…only tickling me!' were heard. Frex looked in surprise, at first at the green bundle of agony lying on one bed, and his only acknowledged daughter lying on the other.

'She found out I was ticklish and tickled me and I was laughing and screaming because it tickled! It was just tickles father, I promise!' Frexspar turned his head to Elphaba again.

'Well then Elphaba,…´ he said. He could not finish this sentence, however. Was he to apologize to the green girl? Certainly not! And he had already, of a fashion, by calling her Elphaba. He strode out of the room. The two sisters lay for a while in silence.

'Does father do that often?' asked Nessarose.

'Only because I… when he… when he thinks I'm doing something to you. Or when he thinks I've done something wrong, but it's only because…well, never mind. Good night Nessa.'

'Good night Elphs.'

Nessarose never slept particularly well or deep, so as she lay there, fingering her nightgown, waiting for sleep to find her, she heard a sob. Elphaba was crying. She never cried, partly because Frexspar had convinced her that it showed weakness, partly because it burned her skin, but whatever the reasons, Elphaba never cried. She was now. And Nessarose felt guilty, for the first time. She was not to remember this incident when growing up, but for now she felt a surge of guilt swallow her little body whole. However, sleep found her and she thought about it no more.


	11. Beautiful Girl

Chapter 11, Beautiful Girl

**Author's Note: I know this was not particularly long or anything, but I needed some romance in this story. I'm not quite sure where I'm heading with it yet. Reviews are love. Suggestions are love to! Love, Blue-eyes.**

Two years later, Nessarose wheeled herself up to the front entrance of school. Elphaba had had to be in school and hour earlier to help clean the yard, which was a fifth year duty, but had arranged to meet her sister here. However, not Elphaba greeted Nessa when she approached her school, but Mitch Serpico. She had not seen him much over the past years and when they had talked, their conversations were mostly uneventful and consisted of never more than five sentences each, so the by now third year girl was surprised to see her former love interest waiting for her. He ran up to her, and put his hand on her knees and, in doing so, stopped her from moving any further.

'Nessarose Thropp,' he said, 'I think… I think I like you. Form the very first day I met you, I have… liked you. Now we are older by two years and… would you accept the honour of accompanying me to the school picnic?'

He blushed. Had Nessa been able, she would have fallen over, but her chair held her fast, so all she could do was nod. Yes, yes of course she would. She had loved this young boy since she met him, and he was asking her out. Though she was only eight years old, Nessa knew this meant something. He took her hand in his and pressed it. A wave of comforting happiness came over the delicate girl.

'You look nice today,' said Mitch.

Nessa blushed. She liked it when people paid her complements, but it always made her self-conscious. She examined her exterior.

Her feet came first, clad in blue shoes and white socks, but practically covered by the leather and metal of her calipers. How did Mitch ever find that attractive? She skipped the rest of her legs, knowing that they were no pretty sight and were anyway covered by a neat, navy skirt that went down to the middle of her calves. Her shirt was blue with silver stripes and over it she had on a navy cardigan, with the school emblem sewn on the side, right where her heart was. She was rather fond of her school uniform, but missed her old first and second year one. At least she didn't have to wear the tie anymore. Nessa had started tying her hair into bun-girls had to have their hair up for school- that rested on the back of her protruding spine. One strand of hair had cone lose and was tickling her chin. Her eyes were still a deep shade of brown, but a ring of amber had made her iris more unique and interesting. He skin was as pale as ever, a pretty contrast to her dark hair and eyes. She was a natural beauty, but never thought that Mitch could find her attractive. He was tall, for a Munchikn, sandy blonde with the most beautiful eyes Nessa had ever seen. She was sure he was far higher on the handsomeness scale than her, yet_ he_ had asked _her _to join him at the picnic.

The picnic was an annual event, held for the leaving sixth years. Everyone was permitted to come, friends, family, students; providing they brought some food.

'You look nice today too.' said Nessa.

She knew it sounded pathetic, especially because the boy's uniform was not nice. It consisted of navy trousers, cut extensively low at the crotch and finished above the ankles. The shoes were large and brown with laces, and made the wearers feet look at least twice the actual size in width and length. The shirt was white rather feminine looking, an unpleasant contrast to the shoes and trouser, both very masculine. Boys did not wear a tie, but a red bow around their necks. The blazer was not required every day, but on Monday's, Friday's and special occasions. It was a shame, really, for the blazer was nice. It was navy with silver stripes and the top button was the school emblem. It had three pockets, two on level with the wearer's hips, one on their chest and had a short tail at the back. As it was Monday, Mitch was wearing his. It was the only nice thing about his uniform. Mitch rolled his eyes, looked down at his awful clothing and laughed. He looked at his pocket watch.

'We have ten more minutes. Why are you so early?' he asked.

'I wanted to meet my sister here. And yourself?' Nessa feared this conversation was not going well.

'I was waiting for a beautiful girl.' Nessa bowed her head and blushed. She nodded at him and then started to roll away. She hadn't ever believed that Mitch was waiting for her. Mitch ran after her and pulled her back.

'You,' he said simply. Nessa grabbed his hand and looked up into his green eyes, and he looked into her brown ones. Her heart melted. She loved him; there was no doubting it now.

A friend of Mitch's sauntered through the gates. He gave Mitch a wave and a whistle. Her squeezed Nessa's hand. She let him go. She couldn't cling on to him, she knew. Mitch ran toward his friend and Nessa admired his sportive physique. The bell rang to signal the beginning of the first lesson. She looked towards the door, expecting a green girl to be either standing there and waving or running towards her, ready to help her up the steps, but no one was there


	12. In the Closet and Neighborly friendship

Chapter 12, In the Closet and Neighbourly Friendship

**Author's Note: I apologize for this chapter. My writing was not good, but at least we can all see what happens when your writing a chapter late at night, exhausted and at the same time studying for various tests. Hope you still like it, Blue-eyes.**

Elphaba glanced at the grandfather clock. She should have already picked Nessa up. Her green finger's clutched the armrest of the chair.

'Elphaba did you, or did you not draw… pornographic pictures of Eilish on her table.'  
>Elphaba rolled her eyes.<p>

'I've told you already, I don't know what pictures. Eilish and I don't even share a classroom. I don't know which room she's in for Ozma's sake!' the last words were a yell. Eilish whimpered and cowered in her seat.

'She's lying, Miss Carica, she's lying.' sniffed the sixth year girl. She threw her face into her hands and let out a howl that sounded almost completely real, but Elphaba could see through the gap between her hands and face and saw that Eilish was, in fact, not crying but smirking. It came to Elphaba then that Eilish had probably drawn the pictures herself to get Elphaba into trouble.

'The only thing I see fit here is to punish you both. If indeed it is true that Elphaba has drawn these pictures, then for lying. If, however, Elphaba is telling the truth and did not draw these pictures, then the punishment is for Eilish for setting Elphaba up. I see neither of you will converse with me, so I have no option but to take this course of action. You will both clean all the tables in the very classroom that the pictures were drawn in.'

Miss Carica reached behind her and place on the table and old, wooden bucket with a sponge inside that was threatening to mould at the next splash of water. 'Are there any objections?'

'_Yes!' _thought Elphaba, '_Your 'diplomatic´ punishment is completely illogical. Eilish is lying!' _but she could never say nodded her head and so did Eilish. The sixth year girl grabbed the bucket and kicked her chair back standing up.

'Oh, I apologize' said Eilish, picking up the chair that had crashed to the floor. Elphaba stood up gracefully and took the bucket off Eilish.

'We will fetch water. Good bye Miss Carica.' Miss Carica didn't return Elphaba's goodbye. People rarely talked to Elphaba. Eilish nodded at the head and scurried after the green girl.

Once she had caught up with her, she stayed just a step behind her hoped victim. This was not the result that she had expected. Elphaba, for her part, was feeling proud of herself. This was the first time Eilish had not gotten away with bullying. However, her joy and pride was short lived. An unusually gnarled hand clenched itself around Elphaba's shoulder, forcing her back a step.

'You will pay me back. You owe it to me now Green. You'll be… Hello professor Twane.'

Professor Twane, who had flown out of a classroom and abruptly stopped Eilish's revenge speech, eyed the girl almost suspiciously. He found it hard to trust her. Still, he cocked his owl's head to one side and gave the girls a large eyed wink. He then flew on, and Eilish was free to speak again.

'You'll be sorry!' she finished, poison dripping from every mean spirited syllable and, even though she didn't want to, Elphaba believed her. They had by now reached the closet. This was the pupil's nickname for a small storage room with a sink and a little shelf people only guessed what was in. The fancier pupil's called it the armoire, which made little if no sense at all, for it was not a wardrobe, so to Elphaba and Eilish it was just the closet. However, the closet was always locked. They knew of no way to get in.

Eilish banged and kicked the door. She yelled at it to open, and eventually threw the bucket against the door and slumped on the opposite wall. Elphaba, who had watched the spectacle with what she feared was delight, saw a glimpse of metal on the now upturned bucket from the corner of her eye. She picked up the wooden thing and saw what was stapled to the underside: A key. She picked at the staple with her long nails, Eilish all the while moaning and occasionally yelling at Elphaba what in Oz's name she thought she was doing, fidgeting with a bucket. Elphaba shushed her, an action that she thought she might regret later on. Finally she was able to fully remove the staple from the wood. Her fingers were rather cut after that, but she placed the key in the lock of the closet and the door swung open. Eilish jumped up, but quickly regained her dignity and marched right passed Elphaba, her nose in the air, mumbling,

'Well done. I was wondering when you would finally realized there was a key stapled to the bucket and get the wretched thing off.' Elphaba was mentally punching her.

Once both of them were inside the closet, Eilish shut the door. It seemed as though she did not want anyone to see her in the closet with the Artichoke. Nasty rumours would be flying through the school, she was sure, if anyone saw the two together. Eilish turned on the little tap. The water dripped into the basin. She looked at the bucket dangling at Elphaba's side.

'Well,' she said, 'fill it!' Elphaba shook her head. She would not risk an allergic reaction to water in front of Eilish.

`Why not?' asked Eilish, 'Is someone afraid of water?' Elphaba shook her head. It was not quite true, she wasn't afraid just allergic, of a fashion. Eilish snatched the bucket from Elphaba's green hand and filled it with water. The green girl backed up against a wall. She had a fairly good idea of what was going to happen. Once the bucket was full, Eilish turned to Elphaba and slowly commenced, holding the bucket at a ready. In a flash, she had thrown the content of the bucket over Elphaba. The ear piercing scream that followed made Eilish cover her ears. Elphaba slid down the wall, clutching her head. Her skin was burning, blistering. It felt like something was piercing her, tearing every inch of her green skin apart, drying her out. She crouched against the wall, screaming and howling, though without ever shedding a tear. Eilish smirked. She turned around and walked towards the basin. Elphaba looked up.

Her skin was now a darker shade of green, dry and chapped. She wondered what Eilish could possibly be doing now. Hadn't she already thrown a bucket full of water over her? She observed Eilish's hands for a while. First, she filed the bucket with water but then placed it on the floor next to her. Next, she put the plug into its hole in the washbasin and turned on the tap. She bent and picked up the bucket and then snatched the key off the side of the basin.

'I told you you would pay for making me clean. I'm going to…' she made inverted comma signs with her fingers in the air, '…clean the tables and, in case you were wondering, you fled. Have fun swimming.' Elphaba's eyes darted towards the tap. The water was already sloshing over the sides of the basin. Eilish waved at her sarcastically, then shut the door. Elphaba heard the sounds of keys in the latch. She jumped up and ran towards the door, but it was too late. She was locked in, and the water was already making puddles on the floor. She rattled on the door. She hated Eilish. She tugged at the door handle.

A feeling in her stomach made her fall to the floor. She crouched on her hands and knees. Her voice made noises that she had never made before. She did not know what she was saying. Was she going crazy? A scream was heard from outside, and then a 'THUMP' on the floor. The screaming voice had been Eilish's. Elphaba's mouth stopped forming words. This had only happened once before, and Elphaba only vaguely remembered it.

_ She was around about five. She was playing on the bed with Nessa, who was three. She turned around because she had dropped a stuffed rabbit they were playing with. When she had turned around, little Nessarose was lying on the floor, howling. Frex heard the screams and cries of his youngest girl and came running, to find Nessa on the floor and Elphaba on the bed. He propped Nessa back up on the bed and called for Nurse. He then took Elphaba by her wrist and pulled her downstairs into the dining room. There, he hit at Elphaba with various kitchen utensils. He threatened to break her legs, so that she may taste how Nessa suffered and had to rely on someone, only no one would help her. He pushed her onto the couch. All the while, Elphaba tried to explain that she had done nothing to Nessa; that she had just fallen, probably because her impaired legs often threw her off balance, but no one listened to five year olds, and he slapped her across the face for interrupting him. He then left her and stormed off to care for Nessa. _

The same feeling that had just overcome her overcame her then as well. She had been scared, but she had had no opportunity to stop herself, it was as if she was possessed. The next day, Frexspar Thropp had come down with the flu.

Neither of the times, however, had this chanting helped Elphaba. Especially not this time. The water was already touching her feet. She ran towards the basin and gripped the tap, meaning to turn it off, but it was wet. Her hand blistered and started to crack. She sunk to the floor. It was hopeless. She wished that her abilities would allow her to 'magically' turn off the water. If only someone was there right now.

* * *

><p>Nessarose was still sitting at the bottom of the stairs. No one was around. She twisted her long fingered hands in her lap. She had been waiting for Elphaba for almost half of the lesson now. She straightened her gloves and her skirt. She brushed some hair out of her face. When was Elphaba going to arrive? Had she forgotten her? She hoped not. Nessa wheeled herself away from the school. She was sure that if she just didn't show up today and told the teachers she had been sick that they would believe her. She rolled out of the gates.<p>

A lady of around about forty years old walked past.

'Miss Brycke!' called Nessa.

'Why, is it you? Is it really you? Nessarose Thropp? Oh, how good to see you!' Miss Brycke had lived next to the Thropps when Nessa was five until she was seven, but had had to move to her aunt's, who was sick.

'How is your aunt Jisses?'

'Jisseria passed away shortly after I moved there. It was a shame really, she was a lovely person. You would have liked her. She was… well, similar to you.' Nessa wanted to point out that she could just say that her aunt was in a wheelchair too, she didn't have to look at her legs and sigh, but she didn't.

'I'm very sorry. How have you been?' '

I've been busy. But how about you and your sister? And how is your father doing?'

Nessa didn´t answer. She was wondering about Elphaba herself.

'Oh, dear, you look upset. Can I do anything for you?'

'Well, I… I need to get up to class but… but I can't get up the stairs and…' Miss Brycke didn't answer. She was a nice lady, and even though Nessa hadn't asked, she slid one hand behind the girl's back and another under her legs and lifted the little thing up. She carried her wordlessly up the steps, then sat her on the top went and went to fetch the girl's chair. For a lady, she was very strong. Nessa was unusually happy to be back in her chair which she usually thought of as a prison, something that confined- doomed her- for eternity. She turned to Miss Brycke and waved, but Miss Brycke had already left.

She pushed her chair into the school and rolled down the long corridor. It was about time for the second lesson to start, but she couldn't just go to class without knowing where Elphaba was. She was sure something had happened to her big sister, she wouldn't have forgotten her otherwise, and she would not rest until she found her. She wheeled past many classrooms. She had Modern Ozian Languages now, in room five hundred and two which meant she would have to pass the closet. Her classmates had told her stories about this small storage room; stories about hauntings and Ozma only knew what else, and she was inclined to believe them, for she had regularly heard a scream or howl of pain form the closet.

It was no different today, as she rolled past the little room, she heard a yell. She wanted to get away quickly, but something stopped her. The voice from the closet was familiar, and not the kind of familiar voice that she had heard once or twice in the school, but one that she had every day of her life since the day she was born.

'Elphs?' she asked. From inside the closet came another scream. And then the voice said

'Nessa?'


	13. Giving for the Taking

Chapter 13, Giving for the Taking

**Author'S No****te: And another chapter. I'm rather proud of this one. I am adding notes to every chapter. Just reminding all readers to review, even if your review will make me cry. Joke, I can take criticism. So, I will stop trying to be funny because I'm not, and you just read and review and, most importantly, enjoy. Love, Blue-eyes.**

Nessa was shocked to hear the voice of her big sister coming from the closet even though she had half expected her sister to be in there.

'Nessa,' said Elphaba from inside the closet. Her voice was filled with agony, and was hoarse and rough. Her words were almost a whisper, and Nessa had to strain her ears to listen.

'Get the key from Miss Carica and unlock the door!' Nessa bit her bottom lip. She was supposed to be art, but she felt obliged to help her sister. After all, that was what Elphaba had always done for Nessarose; help, and Nessa had not often tried to repay the favour. She didn't know where the Headmistress' office was, however. She had not been there since her first day at school, and had never passed it. She guessed it was at the other end of the school, the East wing, where there were, according to some adventurous students that had been there, only a few rooms, nearly all of them locked, and what seemed like a staffroom.

She looked down at her feet, a reflex that she had developed when she was very young. A small puddle of water was forming on the floor. She followed t he wet trail with her eyes and saw that water was leaking out from under that closet door. The room Elphaba was in was flooding.

Nessa had never found out about Elphaba's aversion to water, but she had realized how her sister avoided it and, being far from stupid, had already put two and two together. She looked around. Something was glistening on the floor. Nessa stretched her hand down to pick it up but was unable to reach. Her chair was preventing her from bending far enough. She squinted, trying to make out what the piece of metal was. She leaned forward a little. It was a key. She couldn't know, of course, to which lock this key belonged, but she figured that it fit in the lock of the closet. With her left hand, she pushed her slim body forward, pressing against the back of her chair, with her right she was desperately fishing for the key. She pushed her body a few inches towards the front of her chair. She grabbed one last time for the key in desperation. She had it! She picked up the key carefully between her forefinger and thumb, then laid it in her lap and wheeled herself up to the closet door.

Licking her lips and hoping, praying, for the key to fit, she put the key in the lock and turned. Without her even pulling it, possibly because of the pressure the water was applying to it, possibly because of the frantic green girl bagging her sore fists against its inner side, the door swung open, nearly knocking Nessarose over. Elphaba pulled herself out of the closet. She had no strength left in her, her whole body was hurting. Nessa rolled over to her older sister. She recoiled just a little at the sight of her.

Elphaba was a slightly darker shade of green than usual, flaky skin marking her face in thin lines. She was shaking and sobbing, though still not shedding a single tear. The worst damage, however, had been done to her skin between her feet and her knees. Evidently, this was where the water had risen up to. Nessa wheeled over to her big sister, unsure of what to do. She embraced the green girl in a tight hug, stroking her hair and cheeks as Elphaba had always done when she had been upset. She felt the roughness of her sister's skin underneath her own, soft fingers. Elphaba placed one hand on Nessa's knee, the hand that she had touched the tap with, and Nessa saw the many blisters that Elphaba had received in doing so.

'Was it… was it because of the water?' she asked. Elphaba nodded her head, and Nessa knew that it could have been none other than Eilish McDibben. Elphaba squeezed her sister's knee, then pushed herself up and marched off down the corridor, occasionally touching her face, feeling for dry spots. Nessa hurried after her, not sure of where Elphaba was headed, but determined to stay with her for protection. If indeed she could supply this. Elphaba was storming, Nessa soon found out, towards the one part of the school that Nessa had never been in: The east wing.  
>It was not as though Nessa was scared; more that she didn't know what awaited her in the east wing. Would they get into trouble for being there? After all, it was rumoured that this was the teachers' wing. Still she stayed with her sister, for if Elphaba was doing what Nessa supposed she was doing, she would need a witness. Elphaba marched up to a door labelled, 'Do not disturb'. She knocked once, but immediately rubbed her hand and silently swore under her breath. Nessa had not often heard anyone using Ozian swears, and was shocked that he sister knew any. She rolled up to Elphaba's side and took her sore hand in her own. Nessa did not like the sight of blood, and red blood on green skin, no matter how small the amount, was even less pleasant. Still, she pulled a small handkerchief that was labelled 'N.R. Thropp' and had a pretty little rose on it out of her pocket and wiped the trickle of blood off her sister's knuckle.<p>

'Here,' she said, putting the handkerchief, now spotted with red in her pocket, 'let me knock.' She knocked the door three times. A familiar click of heels greeted them. The door opened a crack, and the head of Miss Carica popped out.

'What can I do for you?' she asked.


	14. Witnesses and Rightful Punishments

Chapter 14, Witnesses and rightful Punishments

**Author's Note: Just for your information; I have solved all issues with Maeline, and she has even been kind enough to give me some tips. So, thank you Maeline. I hope you can still enjoy this story even after the mess I've had to deal with and you don't have to bad an opinion of me. I do not own Wicked or any song text used, nor is the title of the story mine (It is A.A. Milne's in fact) but the story is all mine. Reviews are love. Hugs, Blue-eyes. **

Elphaba ripped the door open and marched inside the headmistress' office, Nessa wheeling frantically behind her, trying to calm her down. She stopped abruptly, right in front of Miss Carica and stretched out one chapped, blistered hand. Miss Carica wasted no time and motioned to Elphaba and Nessa to come with her. The headmistress lead them into an adjoining room with a large desk, one chair behind and two in front of it, one of which she pulled aside to make room for Nessa.

'Miss Thropp, please report.' barked Miss Carica.

It was not like her to speak loudly and even less so with such ferocity. It seemed to Nessa that she did not take violence or purposeful injury lightly.

'Eilish flooded the closet. She found out I was… I didn't like water and tried to flood the room.' Miss Carica's eyes narrowed in disbelief. Elphaba had a way of forming sentences so directly that they sounded unbelievable, and surely not true. The headmistress cocked her head to one side and said, witch a note in her voice that only parents with a misbehaved child with a tendency to lie could have,

'And why did Eilish do this?'

'Don't ask me about her motives!' snapped Elphaba, 'Evidently allergies to water are a pleasing joke! Ozma knows why!'

Nessa put her hand on Elphaba's back, signalizing her to stop and calm down.

'If you will allow, Miss Carica, I have something to say. I saved Elphaba from the closet, and I can say with perfect honesty that the room was flooded. The water had risen to my sister's knees. You may see the blisters if you wish. My sister has an allergy to water, and evidently, someone took advantage of this, for my sister would never flood the room she was in herself, nor would anyone for that matter. The only person she was in there with was Eilish McDibben, I guess.' This was just a guess, as Nessa had said, but Miss Carica nodded her head, and Nessa continued, `When I passed the closet, Eilish was nowhere to be seen, but the key to the door was lying on the ground. This cannot be a … a…'

'Coincidence?' suggested Miss Carica. Nessa nodded, and Miss Carica's brow furrowed in contemplation. Surely, this could not be made up, though Nessa had sounded rather grown up for a third year. But her father was an official, and she figured that Nessa had learned the technique of adult speaking from him, and was inclined to believe her story, despite her prepared sounding text.

'Alright girls, I will deal with the mater from here on in. You may both return to class.' Elphaba leapt up from her seat and grabbed the handle bars on Nessa's chair. She had rarely felt so happy. Miss Carica had truly believed her. She pushed Nessa outside.

* * *

><p>Elphaba was pushing Nessa home that day. The both of them were overjoyed. Eilish had been punished, and rightly so. She had been banned from the picnic, had been suspended from school for two weeks and had to clean the whole school until the end of term. Elphaba laughed loudly and skipped a little, two things she rarely did.<p>

'How did you know to talk so adult?' she asked Nessa. `You sounded like father. Even I don't know how to talk so grown-up.'

´I read some of father's books once when I was ill. They were on the bottom shelf. And I memorized what they said about handling law cases and so on.'  
>She giggled. She was happy to have been able to do something for Elphaba, even if it had been a small deed. Elphaba, for her part, was happy that Nessa had had the courage to be her eye witness and to stand up for her. She was beginning to realize that justice and rightful punishments did exist in real life.<p> 


	15. Amen

Chapter 15, Amen

**Author's Note: This chapter is of really no importance to my story; I just needed something between that last one and the picnic. This is not a chapter that is meant to mock religion, just for everybody's information, I just had the idea to introduce Nessa's religious streak here, and make a point of showing that Elphaba does NOT believe. I have said this before. I know, but just to make sure that everyone knows: my previous copyright issues have been sorted out, and you can be sure that this story is all mine. I will, however, be taking a break from publishing because I would like to finish eighteen to twenty chapters before publishing. Let's see if I can. I hope you can still enjoy this story, and you will be patient enough to wait for me. Reviews are still love! Love, Blue-eyes. **

Frex would not hear a word of it! He didn't even want Nessa going to the picnic, let alone with a boy. This Mitch was a whole year older than Nessa. He could have been Ozma knows what a piece of nasty work. Frex shook his bald head sombrely. Nessa wrung her hands and gazed up at him with large, chocolate eyes. But Frex was not even going to consider it. Or not again. He had considered. Twice. And then he did something the governor of Oz should never do. He shrugged and nodded. He had given in. Nessa jumped as much as she could and hugged her father. He hugged her as well, though only lightly. He was ashamed of himself. He had given in to the persuasive powers of his youngest. He felt foolish. He smiled at her sheepishly and said, 'Why don't you go and pick something to wear? Is your sister going?' Nessa shrugged. Usually social events did not amuse Elphaba. Nessa squeezed her father again and rolled off into her room. Frex shook his head again and marvelled at the speed with which Nessa had just wheeled out. He then proceeded to write a letter to an Ozian official. Despite his being-or trying to be- a harsh father, he smiled to himself. Nessa deserved some fun. And Elphaba always took care of her. His smile faded.

* * *

><p>'Oh Elphaba, isn't it wonderful?' Elphaba nodded. She couldn't talk, for she had pins in her mouth. She was hemming Nessa's dress. It had been their mother's, but Frex had insisted that Nessa wear it for the picnic. She did look radiantly beautiful in it, but it was very long and frequently got in the way of her wheels, so Elphaba had volunteered to make it shorter for Nessa. For someone who had at first been so reluctant to let his daughter even go the picnic, Frex was now terribly enthusiastic. Elphaba was to accompany Nessa to the picnic and take care of her. She was allowed no fun, but she hadn't wanted to go anyway, so she was happy to be there for Nessa. Nessa clapped her hands together.<p>

'Done!' said Elphaba proudly. She moved back a step to admire her work. The long dress, a gorgeous mixture of textiles and colours, very much what was in fashion in the Emerald City, in fact, was now an inch and a half above Nessarose's ankles. It was meant to be floor length, as it had originally been a ball gown, but this was acceptable also. Elphaba had propped Nessa up on the bed, and so had to bring a mirror round for her to look at herself. Nessa seemed delight at the sight of her as good as new dress. She put her hands on her thin hips, twisted her body from side to side and smiled at her reflection. Elphaba laughed and tickled her softly under the chin.

'Are you happy my sweet?' inquired Elphaba. Nessa nodded, and put her arms up in the air for Elphaba to take the dress off for her. Being so long, it was rather a struggle removing it, but she managed somehow, and helped Nessa into her nightdress, for it was rather late already, and the picnic was the next day. Once Nessa was happily tucked in, Elphaba settled herself on the floor with a candle and read an interesting book on the Animals of Oz. It was then she heard the prayers.

'Unnamed God: Father has bade me to turn to you from now on, for he is worried about my future; that I will take a fancy to boys, maybe drink alcohol, move out someday, and even though that is all far away and I am only nine –nearly ten- he wants You to be with me on the journey. I thank You for all the wonderful things You did for this family. Even though we are broken apart, the times are mostly good.  
>Unlike my sister, I do not feel forsaken by You. So I thank You. I must apologize for my not knowing quite how to pray. I suppose I must thank You and apologize for my sins and ask You for help. Is that correct? Well, I have said words of thanks. And I am no sinner. I would like to ask You to, even if sounds selfish, guide me tomorrow. I am nervous and petrified at the thought of going with a boy. So I beg You for Your help. Thank You, Unnamed God. Amen.´<p>

Elphaba shook her head. She didn't believe in the Unnamed God, and found it laughable that her father should have animated Nessa to. Especially she should not believe. What had God done for her? Elphaba laid aside her book. She curled up on the floor and intended to fall asleep ( her bedding had not been changed and she felt she could not stand the smell of mothballs any more), but the praying was not finished.

'Unnamed God, I have one more favour to ask of you. Elphaba, my sister, doesn't believe. She feels that you, and everyone else, have left her. Would you please help her understand that there are people who love and believe in her. If you do that for her, I will pray to you every night, and not do one selfish thing again. Amen.'

Elphaba sighed, closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.


	16. Picnic

Chapter 16, Picnic

**Author's Note: Not is boy's name here. It's taken form Nor, I admit it! Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter too and review! Or just review! Or something like that. Constructive criticism please! And please be nice, I'm no professional writer after all. I hope this scene won't be too intense. I needed a reason for people to pity Nessie, to turn her into a bit more of a bratty girl and give a reason for the Boq relationship-disaster. But you'll see –or read . I am aware that I used the word cripple rather a lot here, and I know that it is not the nicest of words, but I thought about it for a very long time and decided that it was the most fitting word. If anyone has a problem, I am happy to change it. I am also aware that the continuity in this may be a little fuzzy. But it is meant to be a rather extreme chapter for Nessie, and when such things happen to you as they did to Nessa here (you'll read and understand, don't worry), everything does seem a little fuzzy and only later do you have the time to realize what went on. Hope that makes sense.  
>Love: Blue-eyes<br>PS.: REVIEWS ARE LOVE! Reviewers will get lots of Ozberries! And cake!**

_Mitch's grasp was strong. Not iron. A comforting strong. Nessa wanted to lie there forever, his arm supporting her back, eating grapes and Ozberries. Some purple juice from an Ozberry trickled down her chin and he wiped it away for her. His hands were so soft. The wind picked up, and he hugged her tightly. She was warm when she was with him. Why couldn't she always be with him? A hand flew out of the sky. It was rather a lot like Mitch's hand, with a thumb so long and fingers so short, yet it was not Mitch's. It was a cloud, probably dust blown by a strong wind. Nessa intended to flee as fast as possible, but her Mitch was gone and so was her chair. No one was around. Something was soaring towards Nessa. She opened her mouth and…_

Nessarose screamed. And Elphaba was immediately by her side, stroking her cheeks, caressing her, anything to calm her down. 'Hush Nessa, it was just a dream. Just a dream… Rest, my sweet. Everything is fine. Hush…' But Nessa could sense that it was not.

The picnic basket rested on Nessa's lap. Her mother's old dress suited her nicely, and she was wearing a matching bonnet and pair of fingerless gloves. It was warm that day, and Elphaba was rather out of breath pushing her sister's heavy chair up the steep hill. Nessa fingered her gloves. She hoped Mitch would like the little cake she had made for him. She wasn't planning on telling him or anyone else, who the cake was for, but she would casually offer it to him and see how he liked it. She had put a handful of Ozberries in, something that he was always eating in school. The two reached the top of the hill, and Nessa proceeded to wheel herself, for she could see Elphaba was tired. And Mitch was standing at a gnarled tree, waving. He approached her and took the basket off her lap.

'You look nice today.' He said. This seemed to be the general opening to their conversations, and Nessa replied, as she had also done last time with, 'You too.'

And indeed he did. He was not in his uniform, and looked very handsome. He was wearing a deep purple, silk jacket, slightly too feminine for Nessa's taste and much too warm for the day, but it managed to look good on him, and black suit trousers. In fact, he looked rather grown up. Granted, his style was not in fashion anymore, but still. He had on a hat matching his jacket, the sort of hat messenger boys usually wear, and was wearing one white glove.

He held the picnic basket in one hand, with the other, he directed Nessa over to a spot on the hill, where about a hundred or more children, ages six to twelve, were gathered. He wheeled her over to a blanket her had carefully spread on the damp floor. The blanket was old; the patterns on it were ancient Winkie. He set down the basket and seated himself, crossed legged, on the old blanket, and motioned for Nessa to do the same-to the best of her ability that is. She carefully directed her chair to a spot next to the blanket and pulled the brakes to. She then pushed herself forwards so that she might drop gracefully onto the blanket. Of course, she had no such luck and fell rather ungracefully, face first, into the wet grass. With a lot of effort, however, she managed to pull herself over the floor and sit next to Mitch, who supported her back with his arm. Just as she had dreamed it, his touch was strong, but gentle too. She plucked an Ozberry from a plate in front of her, and offered it to Mitch. He took it gratefully and chewed the soft fruit thoughtfully.

'I'm very glad you came,' he said. Nessa could see the purple juice staining his lips and top teeth.

'Me too.' She said simply. The truth was, she was not thinking about her words, but telling herself off for thinking thoughts that a third year surely should not, and that the Unnamed God would punish her for severely. She leaned over and grabbed the picnic basket.

'I made something for us especially. Don't tell anyone. I know we were supposed to bring food to share, but this is just for us.' She pulled put a small Ozberry cake cut into exactly two, perfectly equal sides. One, however, had more Ozberries, and she gave this one to Mitch. He bit into the soft dough and chewed. His face lit up at the taste of Ozberries, and his mouth curved into a handsome smile, like a waxing- for his smile was getting bigger by the moment- sickle moon.

'Did you…' for such a handsome boy, he had appalling manners. He was speaking with a full mouth. Nessa cringed, but she was glad he liked the cake.

'All on my own,' she said proudly. Mitch shook his head in awe and appreciation. He swallowed.

'That was delicious!'

Nessa just smiled.

Rather a while later Mitch joined his friends, after being granted permission by Nessa of course, and Nessa stayed on the blanket eating grapes and entertaining herself with a book that Elphaba had kindly lent her. Why Elphaba would take a book, several books actually to a picnic she did not know, but she was grateful for it all the same. She was in the middle of chapter five when she noticed three girls standing a few feet away from her, giggling. She could hardly concentrate on her book anymore and laid it aside exasperated –giggling girls always irritated her- and pulled her wheelchair closer so that she might pull herself up. Once she was comfortably seated, she made her way to find Mitch and his friends who had disappeared down the hill some time ago. As she rolled around, searching for her friend, she realized that the girls were indirectly sharing her path. She did not suspect they were following her, but she kept an eye on them all the same.

She searched for over fifteen minutes, but gradually the midday sun started burning her sensitive skin, and she rested under a large tree. From behind the tree, she heard the voices of three –no, four- boys. Two of them were familiar. One was a boy in her class; his voice was easily recognizable by its raspiness and depth. The other familiar voice was Mitch's. She listened for a while to their conversation. Luckily the tree was wide enough to hide her wheelchair completely from view.

'I don't think she realized!'

'No, I'm quite sure she didn't. Well, you won the bet.'

'Oh, it was a silly bet. We should forget it!'

'Dear, dear Mitch. Do I detect feelings of…amour?'

'Plainly love. Not and his grownup language!'

'Try having a father who is a diplomat. Believe me, you'd be talking this way also.'

'Anyway, I think we'd better pay our good old Mitch for asking out cripple. I never thought he'd do it!´

'We really should not wager at the cost of others…'

'Oh Mitch, she'll never find out!'

`Probably not, but I still I don't know if I feel up to this. She might feel hurt.'

'How would she if she never finds out? '

'Well…'

'No, we will be paying you. Three bronzes each for Mitch for asking the cripple out.'

Nessa heard the clink of bronze coins being exchanged. But she, as probably the only one, was not interested in the money. She wheeled away, blinded by tears, and so did not notice the three giggling girls cross her path. One of them, however, noticed her and saw that she was crying, and came over to comfort her. The girl was in Elphaba's class.

'Oh dear, whatever is the matter?' she asked, putting a hand on Nessa's shoulder. There was a hint of something malicious in her voice, something venomous almost and Nessa was rather suspicious. Also, she hardly knew the girl, and so did not answer.

The other two girls where meanwhile sneaking up behind her. They grabbed her chair and pulled her roughly backwards. Nessa could neither protest nor defend herself, it happened so fast, and by the time she realized anything had happened, they were already far away from the picnic grounds. One of the girls who had been behind her chair came forward so that she was facing Nessa. The other held her chair first. Nessa recognized the girl in front of her as Eilish's closest friend. The girl who had originally come to comfort her was just standing off side, smirking.

'We know what you did! And we want to make sure that you know that if you hadn't become involved in what didn't concern you, we wouldn't need to teach you a lesson. But you did and we must. This is for Eilish!'

And with that, two of the girls grabbed Nessarose under the arms and the other wheeled her chair away. She was helpless. All she could do was thrash madly around with her arms, but two six year girls against a third year was an almost impossible fight to win and these two girls were so very strong. The dragged Nessa to the edge of the hill and watched with satisfied expression as the crippled girl rolled down the grassy slope, her legs bumping against stones and roots and flying through the air when they did. When Nessa came to halt almost right at the bottom of the hill, the two girls turned on their heel and went to find their third friend.

Nessarose prayed. For the first time, someone had taken advantage of her, and she could think of nothing to do but pray. Pray to the Unnamed God. Pray for him to help her. Pray for him to forgive Mitch. She prayed. Like her father had always done and taught her to do. But of course nothing happened. The Unnamed God could not help on such short notice, she figured, and she would have to wait. However she felt stronger and more connected higher forces bound to help her from the prayer, even physically, and clawed her long fingers into the wet grass and soil and pulled. Her body moved up a few inches. She repeated her action three times, but she was not a particularly strong girl, and soon her strength left her, and she rolled down the hill again. Giving up, however, was not her policy (or so she told herself now) and again, she pulled herself upwards. Further this time, but not anywhere near the top of the hill.

'Oh Unnamed God,' she pleaded, 'if you are what they say you are, help me. Help me. Help me!'

She closed her eyes and waited.

Mitch did not take pride in the coins jingling in his pocket. In fact he felt ashamed. He did like Nessa, a lot, and the bet had just been an excuse to ask her out, as third and fourth year did not usually do this, and his friends would not have approved of him going out with anyone, let alone the Artichokes crippled sister. He wandered around the hill for a while, and then decided to go back to Nessa and confess. It was probably the hardest decision he had ever had to make, but he made it, and he felt proud that he was doing the right thing. But when he arrived at the blanket there was no chair. And no Nessa. He ran his fingers through his hair. Had she heard him talking to his friends about the wagering?

_No, don't be ridiculous Mitch! She must have felt like stretching her legs… arms. Oh Lurline! What in Oz's am I to do now? _

Finding Nessa would be the best thing to do,but upon asking Elphaba and various other pupils that may have seen Nessa, they all answered that the last time they had seen her, she had been reading on the blanket. Mitch was worried, and, against his better judgement, asked Elphaba to help him look for Nessa. They walked for a while together, crying out Nessa's name. But their calls were unanswered, and in the end they deceived to split up and each look for Nessa in a different part of the hill and the woods that surrounded it. Elphaba set straight off into the forest, and Mitch made his way down the hillside, all the while hollering Nessa's name. A voice answered his fourth call. It was and obviously far away. It sounded thick and strained.

'Yes?'

Mitch ran to the voice. There was Nessarose. She was lying in a crumpled heap at the bottom of the hill, her impaired legs twisting beneath her, bruised from the fall. Her dress had a small rip in it. And she had been crying. Dirty lines criss-crossed over her face, her eyes were red and swollen, and in the middle of her forehead was a bright red patch, and on her nose. He ran towards her, but she moved away from him. He reached out a hand to touch her but she batted it away as though it were a fly that had been infuriating her. When he slid a hand under her knees, she thrashed her arms around wildly, screaming.

'Don't touch me! Why would you even be here looking for me? You didn't even want to go to the picnic with me! Oh, curse the devil in you Mitch! The Unnamed God will never forgive you for your sins!'

'I was baptized Lurlineist. 'He said, and Nessa looked up at him, if possible, even more disgusted the before.

'And how in Oz's name did you… oh.' It dawned on him then that she possibly _had _heard his conversation with Not, Bid and Tristiclo.

'I know about your wagering.' said Nessarose. He had been a fool!

'Nessarose, I really like you…'

'Oh!' she scoffed.

'I do. I placed a bet with my friends because… we were playing a stupid game. Tristiclo is in the sixth year, and he was betting that I wouldn't ask a girl out and I said that I would ask anyone out and he said that he betted I wouldn't ask the Artichoke's sister out. I bet that I would because… I wanted to go with you. And it was really just a pathetic excuse for not being scoffed at at school for going out with you. But I like you Nessa, and I promise you that I'm not proud of myself. Please can you forgive me?'

Nessa turned her nose up and away from him. Other girls would have sobbed and jumped at the chance to be in a relationship with a boy, but not Nessarose. She seemed to be asking the Unnamed God whether to forgive him or not. And indeed she said,

'The Unnamed God teaches us to forgive. And I see you are not proud of your actions. I shall think about it.'

And she let him lift her off the floor and carry her back to the picnic blanket, where she was embraced tightly by her sister. She didn't utter a word of Mitch's wager to anyone, nor of the girls that had tyrannized her, but for the rest of the afternoon, she just sat there, eating, drinking and saying nothing, absorbed in the book that Elphaba had lent her.


	17. Snow

Chapter 17, Snow

**Author's Note: Okay, so I know several people have had the idea of Nessa going outside in the snow and falling ill because of it, but I have only read a Nessa-in-the-snow fic once, and I'd like to try my hand at it. And this is all my idea. If, however, you feel that it is too close to anyone else's story…you know the drill. By the way, a year has passed since our last chapter. Reviewers won't have to polish books! **The Season of Silence (season spelt with a capital because in Oz so many things are and because it looks kind of Native American, something I'm very interested and because it's a name, or title) **  
>PS.: Edine is pronounced Ed-EE-n. No, it is not a real name as far as I know.<strong>

****PPS.: Mitch and Nessa are past, gone and done with. And she hates him for wagering at the picnic. So she wishes never to speak of or hear from him again. Mitch was more of a pre-Boq****

**Can't wait to read your reviews!  
>Love: Blue-eyes Thropp.<strong>

Winter was beautiful in Oz. Snow, thicker than the carpets in the Thropp mansion lay all around. It was never too freezing, always pleasantly cold, and children would play outside every day. If one sat at the window for long enough, one could watch the different groups and young children coming out and playing their various games on a regular, daily basis. And Nessarose knew the pattern well. First the throwers would come. Nessarose gave each group their own little name, and this name was given to this particular group because they did not lie in the snow and wave their arms and legs until something that vaguely resembled an angel appeared in the gorgeous white snowy blanket like the angel group and they did not build people out of snow like the creative group, but formed small balls of snow with their hands and threw them at each other, then ran home to change and drink tea together, come out three hours later and repeat their actions. Then came the creative group, then the angel group and then the Hoppers. Nessa laughed at the name for this group. She was not referring to the one-legged race of Qudalings, of course, but to a group that would always jump in the snow and, with their footprints, write certain messages or draw pictures into the snow. Nessa was especially fond of this group, because sometimes, if they saw her sitting pitifully at the window in her big chair, wishing she could join the little groups of children, they would write messages dedicated to her. They were always comforting to her, and gave her a sense of belonging.

Elphaba would never take Nessarose outside. She would not admit it to anyone but her sister, but often the snow was so thick that even boots, tights and a dress – not that the dress or tights were ever particularly thick- couldn't protect her from the frozen water. And even when it was frozen, water burned Elphaba's skin. Old Nurse would not take her out for fear she might catch cold, and Frexspar would never let her out on her own, so she was left to sit in her hideous chair by the window, wishing to be outside with the other children. Once, she had been so upset that she had screamed at her legs and hit them hard, just so they may move from shock, but nothing had happened, apart from that Nurse had forced her to help her dust the books, because watching other children play was obviously doing her no good.

Nessa thought, while she dusted each book rather absentmindedly, how other children had fun in life, and how she was often made to stay inside, deprived of a childhood, more than Elphaba had ever been even. Elphaba would probably have objected, but at that moment, a moment in which Nessa felt as though everyone's life must be more cheerful than hers, in Nessa's eyes it was just as probably true. Yes, Elphaba's constant state of being was alone and friendless, but she was able to have fun, to an extent, so long as she always cared for Nessa and never let her out of sight. But the more Nessa thought about it, the more she found that green skin and an ever increasing allergy to water, sharp teeth and an overactive mind that questioned every idea and many known facts was maybe almost as bad as being confined to a chair and the house, but only almost.

She handed a book back to Nurse, and was promptly handed the next one. But Nessa could not take this any longer. Not only was the dust getting to her chest, but this was probably the most tedious job ever. And she had never wanted to help in the first place. She would have liked to go upstairs to Elphaba or fetch her pens and draw a picture of the snow, but being unable to actually climb the stairs alone, she quickly wheeled away when Nurse was not looking. She rolled into the kitchen and positioned herself so that she could look out onto the children playing in the gardens and on the cobbled street. The view was even better from here that from any other window in the house.

One young girl of about the age of seven waved to the by now ten year old. Nessa sighed seeing a girl that was about three years younger than her healthy and playing in the wonderful snow. The little girl ran up to the window and motioned to Nessa that they were throwing snowballs and that she should join them. Nessa didn't know this girl, but young children were always so happy to invite people to join their game. But Nessa could of course not join them, and she showed that to the young girl by motioning to her chair and rolling backwards and forwards in front of the window. At first the girl seemed shocked, but then she waved her hand in front of her face and shrugged. Nessa took this to mean, 'What does it matter?' It was Nessa's turn to shrug, for she didn't know what it mattered, and then settled for it not mattering. What difference did it make, chair or no chair. Who was stopping her from joining the other children in the snow? Nurse? Frex? And who were they to decide what Nessa should and shouldn't do? Nessa had always been told that no one should control her or what she does, that she should live her own life (always in fear of the Unnamed God). So in fact, neither Nurse nor Frexspar could tell her not to play outside. Besides, only a few clock tocks couldn't harm her, could they? They would probably do her even more god than dusting books with Nurse. So she wheeled up to the front door as quietly as possible, which was still rather loud, but Nurse was singing to herself and did not realize Nessa's escape. Nessa reached up to grab her coat from the stand, managing only just, but nearly sent the coat stand crashing to the floor. But she caught it and replaced it just on time. Nurse was humming the 'Ode to Joy' tune loudly and off key, and still noticed nothing. Nessa pulled open the door and wheeled outside. The Thropp mansion was on one level with the ground, fortunately, so Nessa could venture out unaided.

Nessa's heart beat faster as she beheld the wonderful sight that greeted her. How beautiful it was outside! Everything was whiter that she could have imagined. The windows had always been fogged with water droplets, and when she was watching the children play from the kitchen, almost everything had had a more greyish tint than it really did. The snow was crisp and knew, and tiny flakes were falling from the sky. She had no hat on, for it was not appropriate for girls to wear hats, only bonnets, but she tucked her warm scarf up around her neck and chin as much as possible, and wheeled slowly towards the group of children to whom the seven year old girl had belonged. They were throwing snow at each other and while Nessa rolled towards them, very slowly and with much effort, for the snow was fairly deep and the ground was slippery, and it was hard wheeling her big chair, they became more and more aggressive, eventually throwing not small snowballs, but big blocks of snow and even ice. One boy had picked up a very large block of snow and was taking aim, just as Nessa was approaching. He threw and hit Nessa in the middle of her face. Nessa squealed just a little bit. The cold snow and ice were biting her skin and her nose felt like the ice itself. The cold was rising into her head and she felt a throbbing on her bottom lip and nose where the block had hit her. She raised a hand to her face and wiped the snow off as best she could. She rubbed her eyes and saw the young boy that had thrown the snow at her grinning sheepishly. He put on an apologetic look when his sister nudged his side. A grin spread over Nessa's face.

The snowball fight had officially started when Nessa received the second lot of snow, this time in her lap. She had deserved this one, for she had meant to throw the snowball at the young boy, but had hit the girl instead. And the girl had reacted quickly. Nessa brushed the snow out of her lap, for she did not want her best winter dress to spoil, and used the snow to throw at the girl. She took aim and felt something cold on the back of her neck. She whipped around and saw a boy with dark curls on his head and bright green eyes. He had put the snow down Nessa's coat. So she used the snowball in her hand to teach the boy a lesson instead. She watched with guilty happiness as he jumped up and down trying to get the snow out of _his_ coat. The little group of children, including Nessa, was laughing very hard indeed at this sight. Two of the children went inside for tea. Nessa, the seven year old girl and the dancing boy stayed outside, and Nessa watched happily as the two of them lay on their backs making snow angels.

'What's your name?' asked the boy. It had been silent for a long time, and the sudden break in the silence startled Nessa.

'What is your name?' the boy asked again.

'Nessarose Thropp.' she said. She was speaking at an unusually fast pace.

'It's a nice name.' The boy was obviously timid, but Nessa, having spent so many years confined to a chair and thus having much time to think, was good at judging personalities and could tell that he had a good young boy. He was about eleven or twelve and was rather small for his age.

'And yours?' asked Nessa. She had never been good at conversations.

'Bird.'

Nessa smiled. Bird was an unusual name, even in Oz, but she liked it rather a lot. It fit to the boy.

Bird picked up a stick and wrote something into the snow next to his angel. Nessa craned her neck to see what he was writing. He stepped back when he was finished and Nessa gasped in surprise. Next ot the snow angel in capital letters it said, 'Nessarose T.' The angle was supposed to represent Nessa. Nessa smiled. And Bird fled. At first she thought it was because he felt uncomfortable and she blamed herself, but then she saw that he was running towards a house. A woman was standing outside, probably his mother, holding a large dish and wearing an apron. When he arrived at the door she took him by the shoulder and pulled him roughly inside.

Only Nessa and the little girl were outside now. Nessa wondered that Nanny had not noticed she was outside. But she did not plague herself with thoughts and continued to play with the girl, whose name, she soon found out, was Edine. They built a man of snow and called him Fredo. They ventured into the forest and pretended to be lost princesses. Nessa felt slightly too mature to be playing such childish games, but after a few minutes of playing she was so carried away with being Princess Constance -a name out of one of her books- that she did not think about her age or the other girl's age, just about what fun she was having.

The sky was slowly darkening. Along the horizon, a blood red and gold pattern with delicate turquoise woven between the clouds was forming, and the young girl started yawning. Even the moon was starting to rise and the clouds were a shade of dark grey. It was Nessa's turn at being princess and Edine was being the dragon. One moment, Nessa heard the stomps and heavy breathing that Edine put on whenever she was being the dragon, the next all was silent.

'Edine?' Nessa's voice sounded strange in her own ears. Somewhat deeper and coarser than usual, and far more serious. In fact, like Elphaba. Nessa wheeled out from the tree she was hiding behind. She could see Edine running out of the woods. A voice was calling her name. It was a man's voice. Nessa assumed it was Edine's father and quickly wheeled after her. Even though she would have gladly stayed in the woods for longer, she did not want to do so alone. Edine disappeared behind a tree and around a corner.

* * *

><p>Nanny was ringing her hands and Frex was rubbing his bald head. Only Elphaba seemed calm.<p>

'Where could she be? Oh, Unnamed God, where could she be?'

'I don't know why you're asking me sir. Last time I saw her she was dusting books with me, then disappeared into the kitchen,'

'And why did you not keep and eye on her Erin?'

'She's ten year old Governor. '

'Her coat was missing. Do you think she might have… no…'

'She might, but I do strongly doubt it. Sir,' her voice turned into a whisper, 'she is a cripple after all. She can't have gotten far. Wouldn't she have returned home by now?'

'I really couldn't say Erin. Should we search? It is after eight.'

'We might wait. She could come back. If she doesn't return by ten… we shall search then.'

Frex clutched Nurse's hand and turned his head to Elphaba. Surprisingly, he smiled at her. Why could he only seem to like Elphaba in distressing situations? She smiled back, but it was forced. Where could Nessa be?

* * *

><p>Nessarose was unsure of where to go. She assumed forwards would be fitting, and so she did just that. But it was slow process, for the forest floor was icy and her wheels were unsteady on it. Several times she felt as though she was going to overbalance. She was nowhere near home, she was sure.<p>

It had started to snow. Lightly at first, but then becoming ever stronger. Nessa wheeled herself to the edge of the woods. She was not near home, but she knew by now where she was. However, caught in a snow storm, almost completely unable to see where she was headed, in danger if overbalancing, she was unsure if she would, even now, be able to find her way home.

* * *

><p>Elphaba was biting her nails. She never usually did this. But she was doing so now. She was worried about Nessarose. She flung the blankets off of herself and crept down the long hall to the staircase. She tiptoed down the stairs, taking care not to step on the creaking ones. Once she was downstairs, she was surrounded by complete and utter darkness. She felt her way along the wall. Finally, she managed to find the entrance hall with the large grandfather clock. She felt around on a little table near the door for the candle and the matches. She struck one, lit the candle, and held the faint light up to the face of the clock. Ten to ten. Frex and Nurse were in the kitchen, drinking tea and worrying. Elphaba set down the candle and slipped into her boots and coat, then blew the candle out. She pulled open the door. A huge gust of wind greeted her and blew snow into the green girl's face. It stung. Not as much as water, but still it stung. She turned her head towards the woods. Coming towards her was a figure. A figure in a wheelchair.<p>

Elphaba ran towards her younger sister and flung her long arms around Nessa's tiny frame. She was shivering and her teeth were chattering. Her lips were blue and her eyes glazed. There was snow in her hair and sticking to her clothing. Elphaba brushed the snow out of the dark hair and felt Nessarose's forehead. It was very hot. She grabbed a hold of Nessa's chair and pushed her inside.

'What happened Nessa?' she asked, while helping the youngest girl to take off her boots and coats. But Nessa could not answer. She just groaned and sniffed and rolled her head back. Elphaba insitinclely picked Nessa up out of her chair and carried her to her room, where she undressed the girl and tucked her safely into bed.

Frex and Nurse entered the room, and Frex, though he usually showed not even a sign of emotion, ran to the bed in which his daughter was lying. He brushed the hair out of her eyes.

'Nessa, dearest, what happened?' he asked. He sounded concerned and almost scared.

'I like the snow' she said.

She let Frexspar feel her hot face once more and even let all three of them -Nurse, Elphaba and her Father- kiss her at the same time. She then closed her beautiful eyes and fell asleep.


	18. Good Deeds

Chapter 18, Good Deeds

**Author's Note: I've had this idea in my head for a long time. I know this seems a little rushed, but I didn't want to get into too detailed description. I needed a not Nessa-centric chapter, and I thought this would fit in perfectly. Winter-Christmas/Lurlinemas- helping those in need… TADA! Yes, the idea came to me when I was re-reading Little Women (I hope that isn't too obvious) but the actual chapter and idea is my own. Enjoy and review. Reviews are good deeds, and good deed are good, so review!**

**PS.: I hope this chapter isn't too human. I have been reading Little Women, What Katy Did and Pride and Prejudice lately, so forgive me if this becomes to too human like and not Ozian enough. **

**Love: Blue-eyes**

It was Lurlinemas morning. The Thropp household only usually celebrated anything that had to do with the Unnamed God, but to children, Lurlinemas was the greatest time of the year, and even though Frexspar would have usually not agreed to celebrate anything Lurlineistic, he agreed to celebrate just this one day.

Elphaba and Nessarose were full of Lurlinemas spirit. They had made decorations for the house which Nurse had kindly hung up for them. They had made cake and biscuits and intended to bring some over to the Trokkers that very day.

The Trokkers were a large, poor, Winkie family consisting of four children, one mother, one father, one ancient grandmother, one grandfather, two aunts and two uncles and one elderly man who had come to live with the family many years ago. Elphaba and Nessa, though they did not live in the lap of luxury exactly, could see that this family needed some Lurlinemas spirit and thought how wonderful it would be to pay them a visit and bring along some treats and a cooked dinner for them.

Frexspar had at first not wanted Nessa to visit this family. Elphaba could go, she was strong, but ever since Nessa's little adventure in the snow, as Frex liked to call it, she had been coughing a lot and her breathing had become rather irregular. The Trokkers had some sick children in their house, Frexspar knew, and he did not know whether their illness was contagious. But Nessa insisted and pleaded so much and for so long. She was to take medicine before and after the visit, and was not to stay too long. And if she came down with anything, it would be her own fault. Nessa nodded her head at this. She was desperate to do something for someone else. Usually she felt that this was impossible, having been waited on all her life, and now that the chance came about to do something for someone who was not herself, who wasn't even in her family, she not miss it. Even if she did come down with a fever.

Elphaba pushed Nessarose all of the way, and Nessa carried wood for a fire in her lap and held the dinner and cookies in her hands.

'Isn't it pleasant to think that we are doing something for a family that is worse off than us?' asked the ten year old.

'Of course it is my sweet.' Elphaba had taken to calling Nessa my sweet, my pretty and sometimes even poppet.

'The Unnamed God will be pleased. It is a very selfless deed that we are doing, isn't it Elphaba?'

'Well, we are doing a selfless deed, yes, but it is not an entirely selfless deed. We _are _helping a family that isn't as well off as us, but you like to think that the Unnamed God will be proud of you, and doing the good deed makes us happy. The only true good deed is when you do something for someone else and it doesn't make you happy, nor does it prove to you or others how great you are, but is simply a good deed. Do you understand Nessie dear?'

'No.' said she.

Not only had Elphaba taken to calling her pretty little names, she had also started acting slightly superior and grown-up. And she had started thinking big thoughts, like the teachers at school. Elphaba was going to turn thirteen in summer and was to move on to a new school shortly after that. Maybe this is what happens to people when they finish primary school. Nessa sulked in her chair, now unsure that she _was _doing a good deed. But the sight of the Trokkers' house made her forget her little sulk.

Compared to the Thropp mansion, this house was run-down hut. The chimney was only half of one; the tiles on the roof were falling off. The house itself had once been painted, but what was once a shade of green was now an ugly shape of peeling off grey and dirty whit with some hints of green here and there. The door was hanging slightly off its hinges. Elphaba walked up to the door and knocked twice. It took a while before a sickly looking woman dressed in a yellow rag answered the knocks.

The woman, though young, looked tired and ill. Her curly brown hair was falling out of its messy bun and there were circles under her eyes. Her nose was read and her lips were pale and pressed together in a tight line.

'We aren't buying anything.'

'Oh, no, we didn't come by to sell anything…' Elphaba began to explain.

'We aren't selling either.' The woman's voice sounded tired and hoarse.

'Oh. Neither did we come by to buy. We wanted to visit you. I am Elphaba Thropp and this is my sister, Nessarose. We have brought our meal over so that we may share.'

'A green girl and a girl in a wheelchair. Are you really not part of a circus?'

Nessa looked appalled.

'No,' said Elphaba, a hint of anger in her voice.

'We live two streets away and wanted to share our Lurlinemas meal with you. We are spreading Lurlinemas spirit.'

The lady did not answer, but her eyes softened and gratitude spread over her face. She stepped aside and helped Elphaba push Nessa over the step and into the house.

The house was hardly better inside that it was out, with only two rooms and a bathroom. The younger two children were crying, and the older two were lying on the floor playing a game that they had obviously made themselves. An elderly man was reading the _Munchkin Herald _and two old ladies were knitting with sticks for needles.

Nessa cringed at the sight of this poor, broken family. Elphaba, who was wiser in the ways of the world and knew not to be afraid of poor folk took wood from Nessa's lap and set about making a fire. Nessa, seeing that gaping had no use, wheeled over to the table and placed the basket of biscuits and the tray of food on it. By then, the children had gathered around the fireplace in which a blazing fire was now burning. Elphaba was showing the children how to warm their hands and feet best and how to make toast on a stick. Nessa noticed how not one child had made a rude remark about Elphaba's skin.

The meal was ready and the adults all sat at the table, while the children made themselves as comfortable as possible on the floor. Elphaba and Nessa had offered them their jackets and cardigans to sit on, but they had refused, saying that the floor was fine enough. Elphaba fetched the food and started putting out perfectly equal portions on each plate. Hungry and eager looks spread over the children's thin face as they saw what delicacies were on their plates. Fish, potatoes, parsnips, beans and some sort of meat. The desert of cakes and biscuits was the highlight of the meal. Elphaba and Nessa ate nothing.

The adults had insisted on them eating too, but they said that the already had. In truth, they were starving, but seeing the other children tuck into their first good meal ever made them so happy they forgot about their hunger.

The rest of the day and evening passed and still not one remark was made about Elphaba's green skin or Nessa's being in a chair. It didn't seem to bother these children whether or not they played with cripples or strangely coloured people. It was decided that music and stories would be a nice way to pass the rest of the day.

Elphaba had the most beautiful voice anyone had ever heard, and she received more applause than anyone else. The Trokker Grandfather was the best at telling stories, and Nessa entertained the youngest child who was not old enough to appreciate stories and music by helping it learn it's ABC and rocking it gently backwards and forwards in her arms, humming a sweet tune. They baby fell asleep on Nessa lap and only awoke once when it needed feeding. After a good drink of the milk that Elphaba had thoughtfully brought, it fell back asleep again, again on Nessa's lap. The two eldest children then started dancing a pretty little dance they had made up together, with lots of twirling and skipping, and Elphaba joined in, whilst everyone else sat in a circle around them and clapped their hands. Even the baby clapped in its sleep. Nessa had never seen her sister so happy. And both of them had never visited a nicer family, nor had a more pleasant evening than this one.

When the time came for the Thropp sisters to leave, the whole household went to the door to see them off. It was painful for Nessa to hear the baby crying again. Still, they had to leave. The whole Trokker family waved goodbye, and the mother had kissed both of the girls on the forehead, saying,

'How can we ever thank you?'

A Elphaba pushed her younger sister home, they each told each other what they had enjoyed most. Elphaba like the two oldest daughters and the aunt best, and the singing. Nessa had enjoyed taking care of the baby most, and was determined to visit again, if Frex would let her. And they were both very pleased about having taken care of the Winkie family. It was so pleasing to do good deeds.


	19. Just Trying

Chapter 19, Trying

**Author's Note: Gryr is pronounced like crier or friar. This chapter is just a short summary of Nessa and Elphaba's longing to be normal. It was slightly more Nessa-centric than Elphaba-centric, but I'm proud of having a half Elphaba-centric chapter. I'm really not much good at writing Elphie stuff. I hope you like this chapter. I'm thinking about having Nessarose fall ill in the next chapter. Please stat your opinion on this. And REVIEW PLEASE! I really need the reviews! Right, that was about it. **

**Sincerely: Blue-eyes.**

Nessarose was usually happy. Occasionally, she would bow her head and a tear would escape her eyes or she would lament over her being stuck in a chair or in the house, or complain that she would like to dress herself. However she was almost always happy. Insults did not ride quite as easily off her back as they did for Elphaba. Elphaba, being used to names such as Artichoke, grass eater, witch and being tormented at school due to her green colour could usually ignore insults and jokes. She was only sensitive when it came to acceptance of others. Her greatest problem was acceptance of Animals. When Nurse served Rabbit for dinner she would not eat it. If a teacher at her school was mocked for screeching or bleating or mewing she would cause commotion.

Such a commotion was caused one day in Elphaba's classroom. The new teacher, professor Gryr, a Tiger, was testing the children orally when he let out the strangest sound. It was not a roar. That would have been customary for a tiger. Nor was it any form of language anyone knew. It was somewhere in between. One girl started to snigger. Several other girls and boys joined in until the whole class was laughing. All but Elphaba. She called out from the back of the class,

'Sometimes it just isn't funny to laugh at people who are different. Consideration is lacking in this class, isn't it?'

Later that day, many children came up to Elphaba and Nessa on their way home and threw stones at the couple or shouted at them. 'Artichoke' or 'Cripple' or 'beast lovers!' they would say. Elphaba took this rather easily, but Nessa hung her head in shame. She had heard, of course, about the commotion in the sixth year class that Elphaba had caused.

'Why must you always cause commotions Elphaba? You needn't tell all of Oz that you disapprove of people who can't appreciate Animals. '

'Nessa, I do not cause commotions. I am one.´ And with that the conversation was ended.

Nessarose could see how her sister could be so brave and never feel the impact of words. She was different there. Though she was usually quite happy, she could not stand the idea of people coming up to her and shouting insults at her.

One particular day, when Elphaba was pushing Nessa home, she noticed her younger sister was crying. Elphaba stepped in front of the chair and cupped Nessa pretty face in her green hands.

'Nessa, dear, what is it?'

'Nothing. '

'Nessa, you can tell me.'

'It's nothing Elphaba' spat the young girl.' Their conversation was laid aside until later.

Nessa sat on her bed, drawing that which she could see from the window. Elphaba sat on the floor reading a book. When Nessa had finished her drawing, she reached over to her bedside table for her quill, so that she may finish the drawing properly, but the table was too far away, and she promptly rolled off the bad, bringing her quill and inkbottle down with her, as well as a bottle of blue medicine, a flower vase and a brush. Elphaba was immediately at the side of the crying girl. She intended to lift her sister back up onto the bed, but her hand was roughly brushed away.

'I don't need help!' yelled Nessa. Elphaba was taken aback at this reaction. Nessa had never been this angry in her life, as far as Elphaba could remember.

'Nessa, I was just going to help you back up…'

'I don't need your help Elphaba! Can't you see that I'm perfectly fine? I don't need your help nor anyone else's! You can read your book!'

Elphaba took a step back and Nessa tried to pull herself back up onto the bed. This reminded her very much of her first day at school. She had felt humiliated even though she her only company at the moment was her sister and not a laughing class of twenty odd people. Elphaba could see that no good was coming from Nessa's attempts, and so she lifted the girl off the floor and put her on the bed. This resulted in more tears.

'Elphaba, will you stop pretending that you care? Will everyone just stop pretending that they care and tell me the truth? Can't you just tell me that I am incapable of doing anything on my own? Can't you just tell me not to even bother trying to do anything by myself because I'm a cripple and cripples should just let others do things for them? Can't you just…' she broke out into a fit of wild sobs, and though Elphaba would have liked to sooth her she didn't, for she knew better that to touch an upset Nessa.

'Nessa, you are not a cripple.'

'Yes I am. Do you think I'd rely on you if I weren't? Do think I'd need a chair if I wasn't? Do you think for one moment that father would love me this much is I weren't?'

'Father loves you because you aren't green!' shouted Elphaba, 'He loves you because you were his perfect child!'

'I'm not perfect! I'm an invalid!'

'Well maybe we just aren't meant to be the same as everyone else! Maybe we will just have to face the facts that you will never ever walk and that I will always be green! '

Elphaba too broke into sobs. Partially for her sister, partially for herself. The two girls flung their arms around each other, and Elphaba rocked gently from side to side.

'I'm sorry Nessa, I shouldn't have shouted.'

'I shouldn't have shouted first.' sobbed the ten year old girl. She was clinging to her older sister's dress like an infant.

'You aren't a cripple Nessa. You are perfect.'

'And so are you!'

But that night, both sisters went to bed with a heavy feeling in their hearts. Something was not right.

The day after that was a weekend day, which meant that Elphaba and Nessa were allowed to stay at home. Nessa lay on a couch in front of the big window in the parlour and Elphaba was reading a book again.

'Elphaba?' the sudden brake of the silence shocked Elphaba.

'Elphaba?' said Nessa again, 'can you help me get up?'

'I beg your pardon?'

'You heard me Elphaba. I want to get up. I would like you to help me stand up.'

'Nessa I really don't think this is a good idea. You could easily get hurt.'

'You told me yesterday that I was not a…' for some reason, she could not bring the word over her lips today, ' and I want to see for myself. Help me get up Elphie, I beg of you!'

Elphaba could not say no. She could see tears brimming in Nessa's eyes again. Elphaba sighed and walked slowly over to where Nessa was lying. She wrapped her arms around Nessa's torso and lifted the ten year old off of the couch. Her feet were dangling just and inch above the ground. Reluctantly, Elphaba set the girl down on her feet, holding her up under the arms.

Nessa looked down at her feet. She could tell that she was not standing on her own, but it felt somewhat similar. Her right foot was twisted inwards, still. Her knees were very much bent and the rest of her legs looked limp even now.

'Elphaba, can we move forwards?'

Elphaba obliged, seeing as there was no use saying no now that Nessa was on her feet –of a fashion at least. She moved forward with Nessa in her arms. The lifeless feet of the younger girl dragged across the floor, the calipers that were attached to them scratching the wood. Elphaba moved back towards the couch and set Nessa back down. Nessarose used her hands to pull her legs back onto the couch.

'What was that for Nessa? We are no better off than before.'

'I just wanted to try, Elphaba. Just try and be normal.'

Elphaba returned to her book. Nessa sometimes asked the strangest things of her sister. But the intention behind those demands was almost always the same. Just to be normal. Elphaba too longed to be normal. She figured that that was something neither of them would ever be.


	20. Symptoms

Chapter 20, Symptoms

**Author's Note: So sorry it took so long to update this. I'm trying to get this done, but we have tons of exams at school right now and I'm having a hard time keeping up with those. Please forgive me. I've also got some big presentations (English and Music) and they're tough- well, music is. But I'll still update, just not as much and a fast as I did in the hols.  
>Reviews are still love!<br>Love: Blue-eyes**

'Oh Nessarose, my darling. I do hate to leave you! I wish I was not obliged to attend this awful meeting, but as governor…'

'Father, Elphaba is here and Nurse will return from her sister's house by tomorrow. I will be fine. Besides, the holidays have started. I mind much less being alone during the holidays than during school time. And the Unnamed God will be watching over me. I will miss you father, but I wish you luck.'

Frex smiled at his eleven year old daughter. What a wonderful young lady she was turning out to be. With her hair so dark, her eyes so rich, her skin so clear and pale she looked much like her dear mother had. Nessa's beauty, faith and innocence were a comfort to Frexspar. Unlike her sister, whose features were sharp and pointed, who questioned everything, no matter whether it was fact or theory and knew far too much for her age. Nessa was perfection in his eyes. He kissed his youngest daughter on the forehead, on the cheek and playfully on the nose. Elphaba was standing behind Nessa's chair. She did not expect a goodbye and was shocked when Frex offered her his hand. She took it and they shook hands. But Elphaba could not help notice that he flinched a little at the sight of her green skin. Why could her father not accept her for who she was? For _what_ she was.

Frex waved his hat from the carriage window and Nessarose waved a handkerchief. Once the carriage had left, Elphaba wheeled Nessa inside. The latter was being very quiet. She had folded her hands in her lap and only occasionally coughed. Not a word was spoken. Without Nurse, the house seemed lonelier than ever. Frex was almost always in his study or doting on Nessa or away on business trips, so his absence was only acknowledged by the youngest daughter.

Elphaba made the dinner that night. It was fine meal, but not quite as good as Nurse's cooking. Sometime during dinner, Nessa gave a little groan. Elphaba looked up from her plate and saw that Nessa had closed her eyes and was breathing heavily. Elphaba said nothing. A while later, Nessa pushed her half full plate towards the middle of the table.

'Nessa, you must eat. If father comes back three days from now and finds you have not eaten the he will blame me. And you will become sick if you do not eat. Is my cooking that bad?'

'No Elphs, it's just I…' she broke off, coughing. She was doubled over in her chair, one hand resting shakily on the table. Elphaba stepped behind Nessa's chair and wheeled her into the parlour, where she helped her onto the soft couch that been put there especially for her. Elphaba covered her younger sibling up with a blanket and fluffed up some pillows for her head. Nessa's coughs had subsided, but she looked awfully pale and sweaty.

Elphaba felt the pale forehead. Indeed, it was very hot.

"Nessa, darling, are you quite alright?"

"I suppose. I'm a little warm. Could you…'

But Elphaba never found out what Nessa wanted her to do, for Nessa started coughing again that very moment.

"Stay here Nessa. I'll be right back."

Elphaba meant to go into the kitchen and fetch some water for her little sister, but when she had moved only a step away from the couch, she felt a damp hand grip onto her arm.

"Elphs, can you stay?"

So she stayed. She stayed with Nessa for over half an hour, holding her hand and helping her to shift positions, watching her tossing and turning and patting her back when she needed it. Then Elphaba fetched water and damp cloths. The water she gave to Nessa to drink, with the damp cloths wiped the younger girl's forehead. The evening seemed to last forever. Elphaba was being particularly caring, and Nessa was being unusually grateful for it.

By nightfall, Nessa was already asleep, and Elphaba was sure that she could go to bed herself now, tired as she was from caring for her sister and playing housekeeper. She stole upstairs and slipped into her nightdress. It was a simple, cheap, blue thing, revealing everything from her emerald knees down. Elphaba brushed her raven hair and tied it into a plait for bed. She then went downstairs to see whether Nessa was alright one last time.

Nessarose was lying on her couch, her hair spread above her pretty little head in a perfect circle, her dark eyes closed. Though her breathing was irregular, she seemed peaceful overall, and was no longer writhing in her sleep. So Elphaba went back upstairs to bed. Nurse would return tomorrow. She would know what to do.


	21. Silent Prayers for the Young and Sickly

Chapter 21, Silent Prayers for the Young and Sickly

**Author's Note: I don't have much to say, apart from that I hope this is not too much like the chapter "Sickly" in "Nessarose's Story". I read it just to make sure, but still.  
>I really hope you like this again. Please tell me what you think of the doctor. Suggestions for more Elphaba- stuff are welcome. I'm having some trouble bringing her into this story. Anyway, enjoy and review please, even if it's just to tell me that this story sucks!<strong>

**Love:Blue-eyes**

Elphaba slept peacefully that night. And she was not called for by Nessarose, which she took to be a positive sign. When she awoke, she did not at first think about Nessarose lying on the couch downstairs, and went first into the bathroom to brush her hair. It was understandable that she never washed her face with water, but Nurse had, a year ago, made a lotion for her. This lotion did not ever burn her skin, and it was cleansing, so she could now wash, of a fashion, without the risk of extreme pain.

When she had finished her personal grooming, Elphaba went back into her room, thinking it was about time to wake her sister. She had, miraculously, forgotten about the events of the previous evening. Elphaba could not be blamed for this, for she would never intentionally forget her sister. She had never slept so peacefully, though, and her mind seemed to have erased the happenings of yesterday. So, naturally, Elphaba was more than just taken aback when she saw no chair next to the bed, and, most importantly, no Nessarose in it.

Awful thoughts darted in and out of the green adolescent's head. Had Nessa been sleep walking -sleep wheeling in her case? Had she fallen down the stairs? But reason and memory soon took over again, and Elphaba remembered that Nessa was lying in the parlour on her couch, peacefully and hopefully well.

Elphaba practically fell down the stairs, and landed, breathless and doubled over, at the bottom, unable to keep her balance from the tumble she had almost taken. She recovered quickly, however, and ran into the parlour. There Nessa lay, eyes closed, hand clasped over her chest, lips lightly parted. Elphaba went to stroke the hair out of the younger one face. She drew her hand back quickly. How hot her forehead was. Like burning coals. Hotter even. And damp. The cloth from the evening before was still lying draped over the armrest of Nessa's chair where Elphaba had put it last night. She grabbed it and went into the kitchen to wet it again.

A creak of hinges announced Nurse's arrival. The elderly woman went straight into her beloved kitchen. She saw Elphaba, desperately trying to run water over a cloth without getting the water on her green hands.

"Here child," she said, and took the piece of fabric put of Elphaba's hands.

"Whatever were you trying to do? Wash the dishes with a face cloth? Dear, dear!"

"Oh no Nurse, "said Elphaba, "it isn't that at all! Nessa's ill."

Nurse turned around to face Elphaba. Her face was wearing a shocked expression, tinged with anger.

"Why, for Lurline's sake child, why didn't so contact me?

"It only happened last night. I thought it was just a cough, but now her forehead's hot and she's sweating! "

Nurse hurried into the parlour without even answering Elphaba. There Nessa lay, however no longer peacefully, but writhing and tossing feverishly, muttering undistinguishable phrases. Her breathing was irregular and her face was scrunched up in pain, hair stuck to her face and neck. Nurse wasted not a second.

"I'm fetching a doctor!"

"I thought you were a Nurse?" Elphaba was worried. Was it so bad that even Nurse couldn't help? Nurse had always been there whenever Nessa had fallen ill with some medicine or cure. A doctor was only ever called for when the situation was so dire that common medical knowledge would not suffice.

Nurse slipped into her long coat and put a bonnet on her head.

"I shan't be long Fabala. Nurse her until I return, won't you?"

And with that, she left Elphaba on her own with the severely sick girl. The door closed in front of her green face. She could hear groans coming from the other room. Then, the coughing started. Lightly at first, just little bursts of sound. But soon Nessarose was coughing so much that Elphaba could almost see her body convulsing and her face becoming redder and redder. But just as abruptly as it had started, it stopped, and the emerald girl heard only irregular breaths.

Elphaba's heart beat faster. She had never seen her sister so ill before. She remembered one time when Nessa was about seven.

They had been caught in a rain shower coming home. Rain was not common in Munchkin land. In Quadling country, it rained almost every day. But here in the east it was usually warm, sunny and only in the winter did it rain, in the form of snow.

Frex had fussed over Nessa when they came home. Not once had he even glanced at Elphaba, who, after several minutes had quietly crept upstairs to see how sever the damage to her skin was. It had turned out to be very severe.

Nessa had had a fever that night. And she hadn't recovered for many, many days- weeks even. The whole family had been worried sick. The thought that Nessarose might not survive had troubled them all deeply. But, after two weeks, she had rapidly recovered, and the doctor had only needed to come twice.

With this memory burning in the back of her mind, Elphaba took place in Nessarose's wheeled chair. How odd it felt to sit down and suddenly roll a few inches backwards. Elphaba took Nessa's hand in her own. The girl was tossing to and fro feverishly.

"Everything is going to be alright Nessa, you'll see. It will be no different from last time, I promise you. We shall go on picnics with Nurse again and we shall go down to the pond. You can go back to school. You shall play outside with Edina again and Bird again. You'll see!"

Elphaba was talking more to herself than to Nessa, reassuring herself that everything was really going to turn out alright, that she needn't fear for Nessa's life.

Rather a long time later, Nurse arrived with the doctor. It was not the Thropps' usual doctor, who was a Gilikineese professor, but an elderly Munchkin, more than a foot smaller than Elphaba, who had been summoned only because the usual Doctor was too busy that day to visit sick children in their own houses.

This new doctor was a typical fairy story doctor with white hair and small eyes and spectacles, short and stocky and with a serious face but a kind smile. His name sounded long and complicated, and Elphaba only remembered that Tabib was part of it. His name was really Doctor Periwinkle-Tabib. Elphaba trusted him, but not enough to let Nessa's hand go until Nurse pulled her rather roughly away.

Elphaba bit her lip and wrung her hands as she watched Doctor Periwinkle-Tabib, feel Nessa's neck, writs and chest for a pulse, put his hear to her heart, open her eyes with his forefinger and thumb, look into her ears and down her throat and tap her knees with something that vaguely resembled a hammer. She wanted nothing more than to hold her sister's small hand, to comfort her. But the doctor would not let her.

The doctor broke the silence.

"Madame, could we have a word upstairs please."

Nurse nodded, her lips pressed together in a thin line, her eyes watering and, Elphaba noticed, her hands clenched into fists. She seems so worried. And so did the doctor. The situation seemed graver than Elphaba had imagined.

As soon as the doctor and Nurse had left, Elphaba flung herself at the couch upon which Nessa was lying, still feverish, and prayed. Elphaba had never prayed. Her sister was the one who kneeled in front of her bed every night, asking the Unnamed God to forgive her sins, to guide her on her 'perilous journey through life', praising the Lord. Elphaba didn't approve of this, and never had. She did not believe, quite on the contrary, felt forsaken by the Unnamed God. Still, it was a situation so dire and so far out of Elphaba's control and ability to help that there was only one, singular thing that she felt she could do for Nessa, the girl who insisted on praying ever night. It felt right to kneel in front of Nessa's sickbed and pray to the Unnamed God to relieve her of all ailments.

Elphaba would have dearly loved to sob, but due to her allergy to water, took great pains to hold the tears back that were already brimming in her dark eyes. She pressed her nose against Nessa's side and wrapped her arms around the sickly little girl. And prayed again and again.

When Nurse and the doctor returned several minutes later, Elphaba was still praying, more and more forcefully with every time, now rocking backwards and forwards, sobbing, of course without actual tears.

"There there child. Now hush, everything will be fine. Go upstairs child and fetch your sister's nightgown. I shall contact your father. He must return at once." said Nurse. She turned to the doctor.

"Thank you so much, kind sir, for coming at such short notice," she lowered her voice to a mere whisper, but Elphaba, who had ears better a Cat, heard what they were saying.

"You are sure there is a chance that she will…"

"Miss, as I said, one cannot say for sure, but I will come again. I shall come back in a few days with a prescription for the little daughter. Until then, keep her on the couch and don't move her."

With that, he left.

Old Nurse and Elphaba were left alone with Nessarose, who was sobbing herself now and muttering, occasionally screaming out. Nurse, upon seeing Elphaba was still standing there, her head cocked inquisitively, her dark lips a grave line, said,

"Now, child, run along and do as I said. Fetch you sister's nightclothes."

"Must you call father? Is it that bad?" was Elphaba's answer.

"I'm afraid I must Elphaba."

Elphaba fled.


	22. No Sunlight Without Shadow

Chapter 22, No Sunlight Without Shadow

**Author's Note: Who'd know that, while I was writing this, I'd catch cold myself. *giggle*. Sorry if this whole sickness thing is dragging on too long and if it is too intense. I was reading Little Women and What Katy Did for inspiration, but I don't think this turned out so good (after three go's at writing this thing). Please R&R (I think that means Read & Review, right?). Anyway, hope this is OK.  
>Love, Blue-eyes<strong>

Days turned to nights and nights turned to days, and somehow, though no one could explain how, they tangled and the whole household lost track of time. Most of it was used caring for Nessarose, who, for her part, slept most of the time and, when she was awake, cried much and tossed and turned, called out for her father and, occasionally, her mother, or coughed uncontrollably.

The kind doctor came with the prescription only two days after his first visit. The physic in the bottle looked vile. Blue and purple in colour, in a green tinted bottle with a paper label around the neck. It must have tasted equally awful, because Nessa gagged at the first taste, and even though the gagging might well have been another coughing fit, it was more likely that it was the medicine. He wished the little daughter all the best but rushed off quickly. He had to attend to a patient who had come down with Whooperwheezing Disease, which, though it was rather common in Oz, could still be fatal if not treated immediately.

Nessarose was only semiconscious through all of this. She was shivering constantly, though her body temperature was far from cold. Various attempts had been made at carrying the poor girl up to her bedchamber, but Nessa had not only a cough and a terrible fever, her whole body ached as well; so much so that the slightest touch hurt her and she would scream and cry if one tried to pick her up. It was hard to undress and dress her, so her nightgown became very dirty indeed. She could hardly eat for herself, and Nurse and Elphaba took turns in helping her do so. Still, she grew thinner than she had been ever before.

It was strange to watch the usually so lively girl- and indeed Nessarose was very lively, despite her being semi invalid- writhing and thrashing on the couch, arching her back and rolling her head, her eyes occasionally fluttering open, her parched lips muttering incoherent nothings, her impaired legs moving only slightly compared to the rest of her frail body. Elphaba could hardly bear to look at her anymore.

Nurse was all the more caring of Elphaba. She would kiss her good night, tuck her into bed, sew her clothes as soon as they tore- which they did and awful lot, for Elphaba was frequently running away from the children who tormented her when she was reading outside, minding her own business- and loved her more dearly than ever. Again, Elphaba wondered why her family, to which Nurse belonged and had done for a long time, could only like or love her in the direst situations.

Frexspar returned from his trip immediately. When he entered the house, he ignored all greetings and wanted only to be shown directly to his youngest daughter. However, when he saw her, he seemed to want only to flee. Returning and seeing his daughter in such a state was of course not pleasant for Frex, and he sat for hours, sobbing for his precious girl.

Soon after, however, he left. The doctor had dropped in with more medicine and a firm answer as to what exactly was ailing Nessarose. Elphaba was left alone with her sister for the best part of half an hour, and was then called down to tea. She left Nessa only reluctantly, but thought that she might be able to find out what the doctor said if she went downstairs.

Tea was nothing special, just some bread and fruits put together quickly in Nurse's kitchen. The family did not eat at the dining table, but in the kitchen itself, at a small table put there only for Nurse to sit at and read her books while she was waiting for the food to cook. They did not eat in the parlour, though it had the actual dining table, for that was where Nessarose was sleeping.

Elphaba did not find much out about Nessa's sickness, only that the cause were the Milkflowers, that they had done permanent damage to her internal organs, and that the illness was likely to stay with her for life, making the possibility of her ever walking shrink even more. It was only proper to sob a little at this, on Nessa's behalf of course, so Elphaba took it upon herself to do so.

The small meal passed quickly and without much conversation. After tea, Elphaba returned to her sister's bedside. It had become a routine for the emerald girl now. She pulled the covers off her sister's hot, sleeping form. She noticed that Nessa's feverishness had decreased, though she was still hot and her breathing was irregular. She placed her emerald hand on her sister's chest, which was slowly raising and sinking. A clammy hand gripped onto her own hand. Nessa's eyes fluttered open.

"Elphs," she said slowly, her voice a raspy whisper, "I… I love y…"

The little girl broke out into a wild fit of coughs and threw her head back onto the pillow. Elphaba clutched her hand tighter.

"Nessa, Nessa, darling! Nessa?"

Nessarose didn't stir. Her chocolate eyes were shut, her lips slightly parted. Elphaba could not hear breathing.

"Nessa? Nessa wake up! Nessa!" Elphaba was shaking and screaming by then. She shook Nessa vigorously by the shoulders. The latter's body merely flopped forwards, her head rolling onto her shoulder.

Elphaba cried out in denial, "Wake up! Don't you leave me Nessa, don't you dare!"

But she realized that all yelling and pleading was futile.

"Goodbye, Nessarose." She choked out.

She held her sister's tiny form close to her own body. Whether it was from the shaking or whether it was a miracle performed by the Unnamed God, Elphaba would never know, but she heard a tiny cough, which turned into many wheezes and then into an attack of many, many hacking coughs. Elphaba hugged her sister as tight as she dared.

"Oh Nessa, you're alive, you're alive!"

It bothered her not one bit that Nessa was coughing so violently that it seemed she would never stop. She was alive, praise the Lord! Nurse and Frex came running at that moment. They had heard Nessa's coughing in the kitchen. They looked upon the scene, perplexed.

"It's alright father. She's fine. Oh, Nessa, you're fine again!" and she rocked her sister in her arms as though she were infant.

Nurse threw her apron up into the air and twirled around on the spot. Frex ran up to his little daughter and held her hands in his, shaking his head, smiling, and crying all at once. The whole family was in raptures of joy. Frex, seeing Nessa's flushed cheeks, said,

"Now, we mustn't be too loud or to frantic. Nessa must sleep. And Elphaba, stay with her, won't you. I believe that you are the most capable at taking care of your sister."

Elphaba beamed ´, and even Nurse nodded. Frex leaned over and kissed Elphaba on the forehead. She beamed even more.

Elphaba stayed by Nessa's side all the time while she was recovering. Nessa did not know how much Elphaba had suffered. She did not know how much her older sister had prayed hand wept for her, how often she had lain awake at night, worried beyond her wits' end and upset at how ill Nessa was. It was such a shame that Nessarose never found out, for Elphaba would never tell her. She would not want Nessa to be sorry. She was just so pleased that her sister was well again. And that her father seemed to like her now, though she never said that and thought herself very naughty indeed when she thought it.


	23. Teasings, Proddings and Gaping Mouths

Chapter 23, Teasings, Proddings and Gaping Mouths

**Author's Note: Right, so we're all happy that I did not kill off Nessa, I hope. So, I thought I'd better get this straight: Elphaba is starting at her next school, and Profession School is totally made up, because I didn't want Oz to be too close to our world. Written at 9 o'clock in the morning. Please excuse me. Getting up and writing is refreshing and all that, but this probably won't be the best "literature" ever. Right. That's it. Enjoy and review!**

**Peace, Blue-eyes**

Nessa was not allowed off her couch for many months, even after her recovery. Frexspar insisted that she stay there, and she did so almost gladly, for even on the days she felt well, her body still ached. She often moaned, clutching her head which ached violently, or complained about sharp pains in her back. Worst of all was the pain in her legs, which came in waves throughout the day and made her cry for hours on end.

She prayed more often than ever during these times. Frex was so proud of her, and his little pious invalid was often the theme of conversations between him and his business partners, and at the sermons he held he would often talk about a saintly young girl, aged eleven who, though dreadfully ill and hardly able to cling on to life, would not lose faith in the Unnamed God and prayed day and night.

Elphaba thought this to be rather an elaborate description of Nessarose's situation. Indeed, she was still very ill, and she prayed very hard and very often, but she was by no means only barley alive and was not exactly saintly. In her opinion, Nessa was being very tiresome. She would not read, would not play with dolls, cared not for sewing or drawing, nor for the sights she could enjoy from the window. She would cry very much at the pain she was suffering and would not let herself be touched, ever. Nurse tried to change her and to persuade her to eat, but she would turn her nose up every time. Elphaba thought that her father should replace saintly with snobbish, but she never said so.

Now a proper invalid, with no place to go but the couch in the parlour, Nessarose had no need for her old wheelchair, so it was taken up into the attic. Now she fully relied on other people, but it didn't bother so much as did lying on the couch all day and not being allowed to go back to school, for vacation time was over, and Frex was still of the opinion that she was too sick to do anything but stay at home and rest.

Frexspar was right, of course, in saying that Nessa was too ill to do very much. Nurse reported to Frex every evening that Nessa had experienced some sort of pain our coughing fit. And though Nessa tried her best to deny it, Frex could see the pain in her eyes himself, and the way she held herself indicated anything but comfort.

Though Nessa no longer seemed at death's mercy, and seemed to be recovering bit by bit every day, she was by no means healthy and many doctors dropped by, some on a daily basis. Doctors' visits were almost an even worse nightmare than Nessa's sickness itself. It seemed as though every doctor and professor in Oz came to examine her, force her to take medicine, punch her back or feel her legs, ask her questions which she would rather not answer, then only to leave without even so much as a goodbye to talk to Frexspar in hushed undertones. It often made Nessarose think that, if she was going to die, which she assumed she was, she would much rather have the doctors tell her so themselves, instead of leaving her on her couch, feeling so very forlorn, and whispering to her father about it.

Elphaba would have dearly liked to stay with Nessa all the time, but school started several weeks after Frex returned. Nessa cried bitter sad tears on the day Elphaba left for school. It was such a shame, thought Nessa, to be confined to the house, when she had planned to be so good at school this term. She had been looking forward to all the years that were to come without that horrible Eilish McDibben to torment her. To think that she might not be able to enjoy these years to their full extent, not to mention missing out on much of her education was almost too much for Nessa to bear. So, she curled up in a ball, as much as her poor back and limp legs would allow, and sunk into a dark, dismal world of self pity.

Elphaba left reluctantly. She missed Nessa the moment she stepped out of the door, and was so close to turning back and running inside, but she knew Frex would never let her stay home from school, even if it was to take care of her sister. Elphaba took a deep breath and stepped away from the door. Clutching her slate- Elphaba did not write on paper- tightly, she marched away from the Thropp mansion, looking back only once, but unable to see her sister. It was probably better that way.

As Elphaba was now thirteen, she no longer went to the same school as Nessarose. In Oz, primary school ends in sixth grade, but you do not go to your next school until you are thirteen. The gap in the middle is filled with "Profession school", where you learn things that are useful for the job that you wish to do when you grow up. Elphaba had not gone to "Profession school" as she was the rightful next governor of Oz; her father was supposed to teach her all she needed to know: Ozian languages, politics, and geography and history were learned at school. However, Frex had not even so much as spoken about Elphaba's future. She figured that he wanted Nessarose to be the next governor, even though she was not the rightful heir, being the younger sister.

When Elphaba arrived at her new school which was two roads away from Nessa's school, she felt her stomach churn. She would meet her new classmates and her new teachers today, would see the new classrooms, would have to get used to a new building and a new system. The building and the system did not bother her, indeed the school was a small square building, not much larger than a big mansion, what worried her was how the teachers and students would react to her and her green skin.

She found out just how they would react the moment she stepped through the gates and a girl ran away, screaming, "It's a monster, it's a monster." and another girl yelped, "Help, the devil!" and complete confusion and terror broke out in the yard. Elphaba clutched her books and slate tightly to her chest, and marched straight into the building, people jumping from her path to the left and right.

* * *

><p>"Welcome, girls, to your new class. I am Madame Jenesin. I know that many of you are not accustomed to all-girls schools, but believe me; you don't want to be with boys. Such havoc creators!" She winked at the girls.<p>

"Now, children, the boy's school is just next door. We will arrange a day when you will be allowed t visit them every two month, but otherwise you are never, under any circumstances, to visit or communicate with them. Have I made myself quite clear?"

The girls nodded soberly.

"Good. Now, the school rules are pinned on the door. Anyone who does not abide by them will be punished severely. If you refuse to accept your punishment, or break the rules three times in a row, your parents will be informed and we will decide how to move on from there. Understood?"

The girls nodded again.

"Wonderful! If all goes according to plan, we will all be able to have a peaceful time together. The first lesson of the day will be needlecraft."

Madame Jenesin then proceeded to hand out knitting needles. When she passed Elphaba's desk, she emitted a little sound that sounded somewhat like, "Oh, curse the devil!" but Elphaba could not have been sure. However, the teacher's expression soon turned into a scarily sweet smile and she said, "Well, you must be the governor's daughter. How wonderful!"

The whole class turned to Elphaba. The green girl cast her eyes up to the ceiling. She was used to this. She counted the seconds before the whispering started.

"The governor has a pet toad. Well I never."

"Governor Frexspar seems to have born a child on sea."

"On sea?"

"Look at her. She's seasick."

"Oh! What _did_ she eat to become so green?"

"Seaweed."

"Spinach"

"She ate a frog!"

"I wonder if she's always been green."

"No, she fell into the paint pot Eshline."

"Oh."

Elphaba bowed her head. The teacher seemed unmoved by the whispering. Elphaba assumed that "One does not ridicule fellow students" was not the school rule list. She sighed, preparing herself for another year of jest, proddings, teasings and gaping mouths.


	24. Scrapes at School

Chapter 24, Scrapes at School

**Author's Note: Yay for a new chapter. I'm sorry it too such a long time, but I've been busy, and it took a long time for me to get this chapter just right. Or at least make it something close to OK. I don't know if you will notice this, but I'm trying to hit towards Elphaba's magic gift at the end. The dustbin is not smoking a cigarette. Just thought I'd make that clear. I hope you will all enjoy this chapter. I'm trying to keep up the work, and trying very hard to keep up good work, but I need some help. You can help my by reviewing and giving me constructive criticism. So I beg of you to do just that. I'm no god at Elphaba centric stuff- sometimes I even seem to forget that she's green- but I hope this is OK. **

**Alright, love and peace, Blue-eyes**

**PS.: I'm so sorry this chapter came in so late. I published the wrong chapter (No Sunlight Without Shadow) instead of this one. And I only realized like two minutes ago. My sincerest apologies! **

Elphaba never meant to harm people. She was a tall girl and well muscled, but she never purposefully fought with others. She was also one of those girls that would easily get into scrapes without intending to.

Elphaba was sitting alone at recess. Some girls were playing hopscotch, others were playing catch the Kalidah, and a little group of older girls were sitting and completing their needlework whilst chattering like old wives. Elphaba had her nose buried in a book, as was to be expected. She did not look up at first when the ball hit her head. This too was to be expected. Things often hit Elphaba's head. Only after a few seconds did she realize that ball games were not permitted in the girls' school. She looked up.

In front of her lay a ball, rather messily stitched together, mad form some sort of Animal hide. Elphaba did not want to know which Animal it was. It was of a disgusting red- brown colour. A sharp whistle shocked her.

"Green girl!"

The voice was coming from over the wall behind her. She looked up to see a brown skinned boy, looking down at her with sharp, piercing eyes,

"Yes?"

"Throw over the ball."

"Get it yourself." And with that, Elphaba was lost in her book again.

"Green!"

It was a different voice; deeper and richer than the first boy's voice, which had been rather high and female.

"You are going to have to stop calling me green!" snapped Elphaba. She was not in the mood for this.

"Miss, would you be so kind, please, as to throw the ball over the wall please, so that we may continue our game, please." He said, mockingly.

Elphaba, seeing as there was no use arguing threw her book ungracefully down on the floor and marched over to where the disgusting animal hide lay. She hesitated a moment before picking it up, then grabbed it with one quick movement and marched back to the wall.

"I could get into trouble for talking to you. Please be more careful." She pleaded, as she handed the ball over to the boys. She saw no harm in what she was doing. She was merely helping some friendly boys. The teacher behind her was evidently of a different opinion, and soon Elphaba was being marched to her classroom with the teacher's cold, bony fingers digging into her shoulder.

"Mree, I presume this girl is in your class."

"Why yes. Elphaba, the governor's daughter, isn't that so?"

Elphaba said nothing, until the teacher's nails dug into her flesh again, at which point she nodded feebly.

"I will handle her from her Fira. Thank you for bringing her to me.

The teacher who had caught Elphaba communicating with the two boys left with a loud snort, and Elphaba stood with her hands behind her back and her head bowed, cowering from the teacher, who, previously so pleasant, now seemed terrible and menacing. It is so with teachers when one is to be punished. The teacher exhaled rather too calmly.

"Elphaba Thropp, why are you here?"

"I don't know." The answer sounded very meek and pathetic indeed, but it was better than falling to her knees and begging for forgiveness when she couldn't see any harm in what she had done.

"I will repeat myself only once, Miss Thropp, and I expect an answer from you. What did you do to be sent to me?"

Elphaba swallowed and inhaled deeply.

"Madame Jenesin, I in no way intended to harm anyone or break the rules by handing the boys their ball. They asked me if I-"she stopped as the teacher rose to her feet. Madame Jenesin icy stare was too much for even Elphaba to bear, and she hung her head guiltily.

"Just an hour ago I told you never to communicate with those boys. Why you felt the need to break that rule on the first day is beyond me! You are never to speak to them, nor to hand them any toys again. Furthermore, you will not be allowed onto the yard for two whole weeks and I expect you to do needlework here with me instead. You will learn how to be a lady, and not to chatter to the boys, who should themselves have known better than to ask a girl at this school for a favour- t even talk to one!"

Elphaba tucked a raven lock of hair behind her ear and looked up into Madame Jenesin's glaring eyes. The emerald girl nodded. Her teacher did not even think of talking to her, but nodded curtly and Elphaba returned to her seat. By now the girls were filing in, chattering and giggling and whispering when the saw Elphaba. She didn't even bother making a snappy remark or saying something witty just to get the girls to be quiet, but hung her head all the time and chewed her bottom lip. It was not at all like her to feel humiliated or even think twice about being caught doing something she shouldn't and being punished for it- she had had to get used to that with her own father- nor did she usually feel so strongly about being teased, but today was an exception. Today she would allow herself to feel as any normal girl would about normal girl matters. Just this once, she would care what others thought of her. She was too exhausted to not.

"Girls, if you would quieten down please, I have something to tell you." Madame Jenesin's voice was clear and ringing, and every single chattering girl immediately silenced herself.

"Rule breaking is not an option at this school. We have had a very bad case of just that today. Miss Elphaba Thropp…"

She had thought she had been forgiven. But as Elphaba stood in the corner, she realized that Madame did not forgive or forget that easily. Being punished severely was enough, but being forced to stand in the corner while the other girls were allowed to read was just too harsh. Elphaba nearly cried bitter tears, but of course she didn't; not with all the girls already thinking she was too odd to exist. She didn't want them finding out about her water allergy. So she stood in the corner, wanting to cry, and waiting for the bell to ring. She didn't even notice that the dustbin she was standing next to and had been glaring at- there was nothing else to glare at in anger but the dustbin for Elphaba-was starting to smoke.


	25. Wicked, wicked, Wicked

Chapter 25, Wicked, Wicked, Wicked

**Author's Note: Hello there people! It's time for a new chapter. Sorry this came in so late. I really hope this isn't too intense. This is when Elphaba starts to become kind of "wicked" or shall I say; she discovers her more fiery, magical side and actually realizes that she has performed magic. I am not in the least happy with this, and I need criticism. So please review! **

**PS.:I just hate writing dialogue- I suck at it! Somehow I have the feeling I should add something to the end of this. Please help me out. If you have an idea, please PM me with it. **

**Love, peace, and lots of Elphie magic! Blue-eyes.**

Elphaba's time at school did not improve over the next six months. She would sit alone in the corridor with a book, hoping that nothing would hit her head, reciting to herself that sticks and stones my break her bones but names could never hurt her. It was merely a psychological thing. Sometimes the names broke her bones more than the sticks and stones did. Often, she would seek refuge in the lavatory, but somehow, someone always found her and didn't miss out on the opportunity to drop an evil comment.

It did not help that Elphaba couldn't care less for needlework or 'The Art of Speaking', but wanted only to sit quietly and read. Her grades were above average, and that without even trying, but her classes bored her, so much so that she often had to hold her eyes open with her fingers, for fear of falling asleep. Elphaba was ashamed of being inattentive in class, because she so did want to be good, and she was good, really, but her teachers didn't seem to acknowledge this and she was frequently being reprimanded for 'being in danger of falling asleep' or 'being less of a student and more of a tired shadow' or something along the lines of this.

All in all, Elphaba was happier at home than she was at school, even though home was not the happiest place for her. She was happiest when she was out on the moor alone, but the moor was far away from the Thropp manor, so she only managed to go there rarely.

Her most attentive listener was Nessarose. Elphaba had a hard time believing it herself. Her sister had been moved upstairs to the bedroom, still too weak to even think about venturing out or moving around the house. Elphaba assumed that being confined to a bed and unable to do anything all day had made Nessarose all the more eager to hear about what was happening in the outside world. She was not particularly good at giving advice, but Elphaba appreciated having someone to pour her heart out to. Usually it was the other way around.

Life at school and home went on as usual for Elphaba and her family, and nothing painful or exciting happened for many months, which was a relief to everyone after the horrible ordeal with Nessa's illness. Old Nurse was happy everything was back to almost normal, and was completely content bustling around and humming like an aged, but still very cheerful Bumblebee. As for Frex, no one could be quite sure where he went all day. In the morning, he would greet Elphaba, and when he was in a particularly good mood, shake her hand on her way out to school. In the evenings, he would sit by Nessa's bedside, holding her hand and not letting anyone else touch his precious daughter. But during the day only Ozma knew where he would go. To church, maybe, or to his drawing room, and perhaps to the library (the old librarian had seen him there on several occasions) or perhaps he would discuss business with his companions and colleagues. Suffice to say that he was hardly ever present, and Elphaba sometimes preferred it that way.

One afternoon, a letter arrived for Frexspar, stating that his Father-in-law wished to stay with them for tea, to discuss some important matters. The girl's knew better than to ask what matters were to be discussed, but each child wondered to themselves.

During the next hours, the house seemed completely transformed. Carpets were rigged up, tapestries dusted, the best China from China Country retrieved from the attic, and an altogether thrilling atmosphere hung in the air. Neither of the girls had ever experienced a relative's visit, and neither knew quite what to expect.

During the cleaning period, Nurse came into the room in which Nessarose and Elphaba were talking in hushed tones about Grandfather Thropp, only to give the order that Elphaba should dress her sister in something "more slightly that the nightgown and wrapper" and to put up Nessa's hair into "something more sophisticated than that bird's nest." Indeed Nessa didn't look anything like what a fine grandfather would want to see. So, the girls spent the hours in preparation for the visit. Elphaba wondered at why Nurse had not ordered that she herself try to look slightly more acceptable than she did, but she realized quite soon that her grandfather was probably only to see Nessarose, or that she should be the main attraction, and that the more plain Elphaba looked, the easier this would be to achieve. After all, Elphaba tended to catch one's eye with her unusual pigmentation.

"There, all done!" said Elphaba, tying the ribbon in her sister's hair. "You look wonderful!"

Nessa said nothing, but smiled contentedly to herself. She was sitting on her bed, lags dangling over the side, and could not see her reflection in the looking glass, but she trusted her sister's opinion. She did look quite pleasant in a lilac dress and white shawl, with dainty little bronze slippers on her feet. Her hair, regrettably, was up in a plait that much resembled Elphaba's. It did not suite her one bit, but at least it was combed.

Only moments later did Nurse enter again.

"You Grandpapa's here!" she said simply, and picked Nessarose up from her bed. "Elphaba, you will come down to dinner at precisely half past seven. Your Father insists that you sing for them."

"But I can't sing!" protested Elphaba, but Nurse merely shrugged. All she was doing was baring the news. Nurse left with Nessa in her arms.

"Nessarose, this is your Grandfather."

"Sir." Answered the young girl formally.

"Very pleased to meet you by dear." Said Grandfather Thropp, shaking Nessarose's hand. "Frexspar has told me about you."

"Grandfather Thropp here has been longing to meet you darling." Said Frex, possibly trying to encourage conversation.

"The feelings are mutual, Sir." Answered Nessarose, using the best vocabulary she could. She could not bring herself to call this stranger Grandfather or Grandpapa just then, even though she would have liked to very much. He looked too young to be a Grandfather, but too old to be a business partner of Frex's. She settled for Sir, because it was polite.

"Can I fetch you a drink? Some wine perhaps? Something Vinkan?" inquired Frexspar, possibly realizing that all prompting had failed, and that the conversation was more than dull.

"You don't by any chance have some Vinkan brandy, do you?" asked Grandfather Thropp.

"The best that can be purchased in Munchkinland," Replied Frex, motioning with a hand that his father-in-law should sit in the armchair opposite Nessa's couch, and then hurrying into the kitchen to fetch the Vinkan brandy.

"I was very sorry to her about your illness Nessarose. I hope you have recovered well."

"Well enough, Sir, thank you."

"Good, good. Say, do you go to school?"

"Yes, but not at the moment."

"Oh, I see. Ah yes, the brandy!" he exclaimed, taking the glass from Frex's hand. Nessa was relieved. She was quite content listening to the two men talk about things such as family, church, politics and so on, without having to be directly involved.

"The politics are a scandal, aren't they, nowadays?"

"Certainly. In my day we never would have dreamed of allowing that awful Pleasure Faith, or Tiktockism. That dragon- or is it Dragon- machine does seem rather dubious to me, to say the least. I must confess that I am the old Lurlineist."

Frex's face muscles tightened at this.

"Well, anyhow, how is your home running?" said Frexspar, cunningly changing the subject.

"No wife, no children, and an old, incompetent maid."

"I am very sorry."

Nessarose listened with one ear, while plaiting the tassels on the blanket that was draped over her legs. The clock struck seven.

"And I do believe that people's sense of morality is quite lacking nowadays. It is a shame, really, that, ever since Oz has changed its politics, we have young women making babies here and there, that highwaymen are back and whatnot." Frex, quite the conservationist, was enjoying preaching about religion and politics- that being what he did best.

It was then that Nurse came in with two trays of food. One she laid on the table and then busied herself with laying out forks and knives and filling the men's glasses with wine. When the table was nicely set, and the men comfortably seated at it, Nurse brought the smaller tray over to Nessarose and put it on her lap.

"You don't mind eating here, do you dear?"

"I suppose there's no other way."

"Good girl," Nurse kissed her on the forehead. "Elphaba! Dinner!"

But Elphaba was already downstairs. She looked quite pretty, sporting a dress in dark purple and with her hair down- and that rarely happened. She greeted her Grandfather politely and took a seat next to Nessarose, so that her younger sister would not feel lonely eating on the couch. The two sisters were quickly engaged in hushed conversation, as were Grandfather and Father.

"Dear, how did that happen?" whispered Grandfather Thropp. "How awfully vexing it must be."

"Nessarose? Quite on the contrary, I do enjoy caring for my precious Rose."

"Not her. No, the other one. The green one."

"I couldn't say for the life of me. Some defective genes, I presume." Answered Frex, looking pointedly at his Father-in-law. He didn't know quite why, but he had never taken to Melena's rich and important family, and nor had Melena's family taken to his. It was useless, this competition, but somehow it continued.

"Surely not from Meli's side. It can't have been. We have no abnormal colouring in our family, for sure."

"Well, I couldn't say then."

"You don't expect that thing to govern, do you?"

"She is next in line. What should I do? Let Nessie govern? She couldn't."

Elphaba had not intentionally been eavesdropping. She hadn't been eavesdropping at all. She had witnessed the insulting conversation purely by chance. She felt a familiar pain rise in her chest. She knew of her colouring, and she knew that it was not looked up on well by relatives or anyone else for that matter, but her own Father and Grandfather discussing just why she was so apple-like and blaming each other's families for was just too disgusting. Elphaba did her best to suppress her anger, and Nessarose put a hand on her older sister's regrettably green shoulder. The hand was there more for restraint than comfort, but it served both its purposes well enough, and calmed Elphaba for at least a while. Both of the girls returned to their food.

"What is the matter with a green girl governing?" exclaimed Grandfather Thropp, much to everyone's surprise. But he quickly calmed his raging temper and continued talking to Frex in whispers, "Why, she will be shunned by the public. Slogans written all over her house and someday her grave, no doubt. Banners expressing people's hatred towards her. Whispers, rumours, all over the city. You do not believe, in all honesty, that anything good or productive will come of it? For the love of the Unnamed God, boy, she's green!"

He was yelling again, growing louder with ever single word he spoke, not at all ashamed that Elphaba could hear him.

"So you think I should let Nessarose govern?" Frex retorted, now equally angry, "Out of all the people less suited to govern! Oz, she cannot even walk on her own! How should my Nessie, my precious pet govern when she is even now still so weak? Do you think that she could make a difference? That anyone will take her more seriously than they will Elphaba? Do you?"

"So you want a girl with the colouring of a toad to govern? I knew you were a fool, but this I would never even have… sweet Oz!" his last words were a whisper, a gasp for air. His wine glass tipped, and the content poured itself over his lap, staining his good trousers. His plate, laden with all sorts of good food, rose into the air and hovered above his head. It stayed there for a moment, as though uncertain whether to fall or return safely back to the table. It quivered, shook, and fell. Grandfather Thropp's eyelinds fluttered as the china plate hit the crown oh his head, his face reddening with rage.

Elphaba watched in horror. The girl looked down at her raised hands. She had done this. She, the ugly, opinionated, sinfully green child had injured her Grandfather whom she had met just an hour ago and poured wine onto his best trousers. She hadn't meant to of course, but Grandfather Thropp had been insulting her and her sister, saying neither of them was fit to govern. It had enraged her, and she had stood up, wanting to scream or curse her Mother's Father, but she had never meant to inflict physical pain on him.

The whole family stood in silence, Grandfather Thropp shaking in rage and Nessarose whimpering on her couch. Frexspar slowly raised himself.

"Elphaba," he said, using her full name to her face for the first time, "go to your room."

"Father-"

"Immediately!"

And Elphaba, knowing better than to talk back, ran.

"You wicked girl!" muttered the aged Grandfather. "Wicked, wicked, wicked!"


End file.
